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Vatican strikes solar farm deal to become the world’s first carbon-neutral state

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By illuminem briefings

· 3 min read


illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Associate Press or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The Vatican has reached an agreement with Italy to build a large-scale solar farm on a 430-hectare site north of Rome, aiming to become the world’s first carbon-neutral state
The Santa Maria Galeria site, previously a source of controversy over Vatican Radio’s electromagnetic emissions, will now host solar infrastructure estimated to cost under €100 million and generate enough clean electricity to meet the Holy See’s energy needs

🔭 The context: Since the 1950s, the Santa Maria Galeria site housed Vatican Radio towers, but growing urbanization and public health concerns led to scaled-back operations
The transformation of the site into a renewable energy hub fulfills a vision initiated by Pope Francis and advanced by his successor Pope Leo XIV, who has embraced climate action as central to Catholic teaching
The agreement requires Italian parliamentary approval due to its financial and jurisdictional implications

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The Vatican’s move signals a powerful symbolic and practical shift by a global religious institution toward decarbonization
By converting contested land into a solar farm and donating surplus energy to local communities, the project offers a replicable model for faith-based or diplomatic entities with extraterritorial holdings
It also contributes to EU clean energy targets and underlines the role of leadership and moral authority in climate action

⏭️ What's next: Pending parliamentary approval, the Vatican will open tenders for construction
Italy gains the right to count the renewable output toward its national climate commitments, while the Vatican receives a tax exemption on solar imports but not Italian subsidies
As part of the deal, agricultural land use will be preserved, and community energy sharing mechanisms will be developed
The solar farm is expected to go live before the end of the decade

💬 One quote: “Pope Leo XIV visited the site in June and affirmed that he intended to see Francis’ vision through,” – Vatican statement

📈 One stat: The solar farm will span 430 hectares and is projected to cost under €100 million, providing carbon-neutral electricity to the entire Vatican City

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