Economia contro Ecologia: gli effetti a lungo termine della politica dei “poli di sviluppo attuata nel Mezzogiorno

One of the most important conflicts of our time is the contrast between economic growth and environmental sustainability. This research stems from the implementation of the policy of «development poles», inspired by the theory of Perroux and implemented by the «Cassa del Mezzogiorno» in the «second phase» of the extraordinary, inaugurated in 1957. The investigation continues with the identification of models with which it started this process, based on the location of large industries, the effects of which are detectable even today, after more than fifty years after the inauguration of that policy. These models can be summarized in the expression «economy versus ecology». Between the «poles of development» included in this context, I thought it appropriate to conduct a detailed analysis on the main steel plant in southern Italy, Ilva of Taranto, and the three Sicilian petrochemical: Milazzo, Gela and Priolo-Augusta-Melilli.