Vatican state on path to becoming world’s first carbon-neutral state

Italy has agreed to a Vatican initiative to transform a 430-hectare tract of land north of Rome—once a source of long-standing controversy—into a massive solar farm, intended to supply all of Vatican City's energy needs and make it the world’s first carbon-neutral state.

The deal was signed this week by Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister, and Francesco Di Nitto, Italy’s ambassador to the Holy See, on July 31.

According to an article by AP, the agreement still requires approval from the Italian parliament to move forward because the land has extraterritorial status.

Known as Santa Maria di Galeria, the site has been contentious for decades due to the presence of Vatican Radio’s powerful transmission towers, which have operated there since the 1950s. Located about 35 kilometres north of Rome, the once-remote area is now home to several dozen short- and medium-wave radio antennas used to broadcast the Church’s messages in multiple languages worldwide.

Vatican officials estimate that the solar farm project will cost less than €100 million. Once approved by Italian authorities, the project will be opened to public bidding for development and construction contracts.

Over the years, local residents—concerned by increased development near the towers—have linked health issues, including childhood leukaemia, to electromagnetic waves emitted by the radio transmissions. Although the Vatican has consistently denied any causal link between emissions and illness, it did eventually reduce the range and frequency of the broadcasts.

In the 1990s, during the peak of public concern, local citizens sued Vatican Radio officials, arguing the station’s emissions violated Italian legal limits. However, the courts ruled in the Vatican’s favour. Later, in 2012, Vatican Radio announced it would halve its broadcast hours—not for health reasons but due to technological advances and cost efficiencies associated with internet streaming.

Last year, Pope Francis commissioned a Vatican study to explore converting the contested site into a large-scale solar energy project. The initiative aligns with Francis’s ongoing calls to move away from fossil fuels and adopt cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy in response to climate change.

Pope Leo XIV visited Santa Maria di Galeria in June, reaffirming his commitment to continuing Francis’ environmental vision. Leo has increasingly championed ecological concerns, introducing new prayers and readings that reflect and build upon Pope Francis’ legacy of environmental stewardship.

By Nazrin Sadigova