Italy / About the city
Introducing Bergamo
Located in Northern Italy's Lombardy region, roughly 40 kilometers northeast of Milan, Bergamo is a vibrant and economically dynamic city of around 120,000 residents, with a broader urban area of nearly 500,000.
The city is uniquely split into two parts: Città Alta, the historic hilltop center encircled by UNESCO-protected Venetian Walls, and Città Bassa, the modern lower town that serves as the commercial and industrial heart.
Recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy for its outstanding culinary heritage, Bergamo is equally defined by its commitment to green spaces, featuring the expansive Parco dei Colli natural park alongside numerous urban parks seamlessly integrated into the city fabric. Today, it stands as one of Italy's primary technological, industrial, and cultural hubs, supported by Bergamo Airport, one of the country's main international transit gates.
/ Climate & gastronomy
Challenges and actions
Bergamo faces climate and environmental challenges common to urban centers, particularly regarding greenhouse gas emissions, high municipal energy consumption, mobility impacts, and the necessity to transition toward resource efficiency and carbon neutrality across public services, infrastructure, and local consumption habits. In response, the city has implemented a wide range of targeted climate actions aimed at reducing its overall carbon footprint, improving urban environmental quality, optimizing public facilities, and promoting sustainable behavioral changes among citizens and younger generations.
- Mobility and infrastructure strengthening low-emission public transport, expanding soft mobility infrastructure (cycling and pedestrian pathways), and digitalizing urban services to reduce traffic-related emissions.
- Solar-powered food preparation a photovoltaic system on the roof of the city's new central food preparation center in Curnasco powers municipal meal production with renewable solar energy.
- School catering menu transition (Food Trail project) public school menus introduce plant-based proteins as a replacement for animal proteins, directly reducing the carbon footprint of food consumption.
- Environmental protection and biodiversity urban reforestation initiatives, protection of local natural parks, and monitoring of urban environmental quality.
- Promoting sustainable behaviors ("Il cambiamento parte dal piatto"): educational initiatives and calls for proposals targeted at youth to raise awareness about the environmental impact of daily food choices.
- Green healthcare operations ("Pillole Green") sustainability guidelines and informative totems across local healthcare facilities to optimize energy use and reduce emissions.
