FEE awards 97 Italian towns Spighe Verdi 2026 for sustainability

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) presented the 2026 edition of its Spighe Verdi programme in Rome’s CNR conference hall, recognising 97 Italian municipalities for exemplary environmental and territorial management. The list grew by seven municipalities compared with the previous year, adding ten new entrants and dropping three that did not retain the award. Piemonte leads with 22 awarded towns, followed by Calabria with 11 and both Marche and Campania with nine each. The awards, granted in collaboration with Confagricoltura and various ministries, are based on 67 sustainability indicators covering water, energy, waste, landscape protection, agricultural quality and tourism development. Municipalities such as Acqui Terme, Gavi, Locri, Cherasco, Santa Maria del Cedro and many others received the Spiga Verde flag, confirming ongoing local commitments to green policies, rural development and the promotion of agricultural heritage.

FEE president Claudio Mazza emphasized that the programme is a continuous improvement process rather than a one‑off accolade, aiming to turn sustainability into a measurable, shared journey among administrations, citizens and enterprises.