Starting from the recent intention of the Italian Prime Minister to include the environmental protection in the Italian Constitution, the article speaks about the lack of environmental protection in the Italian Constitution and analyzes the articles 2, 9 and 32 that – with an extensive interpretation – have guaranteed and guarantee an indirect constitutional protection to the environmental theme. An overview is given of the environmental safeguards present in more recent constitutions than the Italian one and in reformed constitutions of different geographical areas (South America, Africa, India, main European Countries), more in the European Treaties.  At the end the text presents an author’s proposal to reform the Italian Constitution to insert the environmental protection both in the Fundamental Principles (art. 9) and in the First Part concerning Rights and Duties of citizens (art. 32 and 54).

Mario Anzevino