Italian Small Islands: Policies and Governance

This chapter focuses on the body of national policies and strategies. The analysis begins with an overview of the 'principle of insularity' (Constitutional Law 2/2022), which formally acknowledges the distinctiveness of islands in the national political scenario. Subsequently, the text examines the instruments designed to counteract territorial disparities. It reviews various development funds—such as the Fund for Small Islands—the inclusion of islands in the National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI), as opportunities arising from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), particularly the 'Green Islands' program. The analysis is structured across three primary thematic areas: 1. Local Development and Territorial Disparities; 2. Environmental Policies (Ecological Transition and Protection); and 3. Youth Policies. Despite the existence of numerous instruments, the chapter highlights that their fragmentation and the lack of a coordinated, strategic vision represent significant obstacles to effective and sustainable development.