A total of 57 environmental, animal rights, and hiking organizations have sent a formal letter to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Hon. Fontana, in which they request that, in full compliance with
parliamentary regulations, Bill (PdL) 2984—formerly Senate Bill 1552, which radically overhauls national legislation on the protection of wild animals and hunting—be examined by the Chamber of Deputies’ Environment Committee as well as by the Agriculture Committee, where it has been referred for review.
In their letter, the associations point out that the changes this highly controversial measure would make to National Framework Law 157/92 will have enormous repercussions on our country’s environment and on wildlife, which is an inalienable asset of the State.
The elimination of the maximum duration of the hunting season, the expansion of the number of huntable species, the immense hunting pressure associated with the opening of hunting in state-owned forests and along the maritim
, and the influx of foreign hunters into Italy, the mandatory reduction by regions of the size of protected areas, and the full-scale revival of the barbaric practice of using live decoys are just a few examples that will have undeniable repercussions on wildlife, the environment, and ecosystems—which are currently protected under Articles 9, 41, and 177 of the Italian Constitution.
“The decision to assign this important and sensitive measure solely to the Agriculture Committee risks precluding a sufficiently broad and adequate assessment of it, and we are confident that you do not intend to forgo the expertise and authority that the Environment Committee would undoubtedly be able to provide in order to best examine the aforementioned measure”_ – state the 57 associations in their letter to President Fontana.
As evidence of how the amendments to Law 157/92 have undeniable implications for the environment as well, the European Commission itself sent a detailed note to the Ministry of the Environment last December to express concern regarding certain parts of the measure which, if not amended, will expose our country to the opening of a new infringement procedure on environmental matters: for this reason as well, it would be important to be able to rely on the joint assessment of both the Environment and Agriculture Committees.
The extreme significance of this issue—from a legal, scientific, environmental, social, and cultural perspectives—combined with the widespread attention and concern the issue has generated among the public—requires that every segment of society affected by the impacts these projects will have on environmental and animal protection, as well as on the very use of the territory, be heard.
“We therefore formally request that President Fontana, pursuant to Article 72 of the Chamber’s Rules of Procedure, refer the matter to the Joint Committees on the Environment (VIII) and Agriculture (XIII), and we invite him to
submit the matter to the Rules Committee, if appropriate,” the associations conclude.
The organizations that signed the letter addressed to President Fontana:
Afni – Altritalia Ambiente – Antispeciesist Alliance – Altura – Friends of the Earth – Animal Aid Italia – Animalisti Italiani – Animal Law Italia – Animal Voices United – Asoim – Caretta Caretta Association – I’m Not Afraid of the Wolf Association – CAI – Cerm – CIRF – CISO – Earth – EBN – ENPA – Essere Animali – Eticoscienza – Feder Trek – Pro Natura Federation – Capellino Foundation – Cave Canem Foundation – Marevivo Foundation – Gaia Animals & Environment – Garol – Green Impact – Greenpeace – Grig – Insubric Ornithological Group – Gybn Italy – Humane World For Animals – ISDE – LAC – LAV – LEAL – Legambiente – LEIDAA – LIMAV – LIPU BirdLife Italia – LNDC – Man – Mountain Wilderness – Nahr – OIPA – Network of Sanctuaries – Rewilding Apennines – Save the Bear – Italian Ornithological Society – SOS Gaia – SROP – SRSN – VAS – Waldrappteam – WWF Italy