The Holy See and the Italian Republic have signed an agreement to build an agrivoltaic plant in the Vatican’s Santa Maria di Galeria, upholding and taking action on a shared commitment to promote ecological responsibility and sustainable development, which will ensure the complete green sustenance of Vatican City.
The agreement was signed on 31 July 2025 at Palazzo Borromeo in Rome, headquarters of the Italian Embassy to the Holy See, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, signed on behalf of the Holy See, while Ambassador Francesco Di Nitto represented the Italian Republic, and will enter into force upon the exchange of diplomatic notifications confirming the completion of internal procedures by both parties.
The initiative is a tangible expression of the strong bilateral relations between the Holy See and Italy. It reflects a shared commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, aligning with Pope Francis’ call for an “integral ecology” and care for our common home, as articulated in Laudato si’.
The agreement represents a significant adaptation of the Lateran Pacts to new environmental challenges, introducing the production of energy from renewable sources in the extraterritorial zones already governed by the 1951 Treaty. The project aligns with the ecological transition vision promoted by the Holy See and Italy, in accordance with the 1992 UN Convention on Climate Change and the 2015 Paris Agreement. The agrivoltaic plant will be built in a park of about 424 hectares, owned by the Vatican: it will guarantee the energy autonomy of the Vatican City State, and it may also supply energy to the Italian Republic, including for social purposes. The project has been carefully designed to respect the natural landscape, minimise environmental impact.
The Vatican Foreign Minister, Archbishop Gallagher, in signing the agreement, emphasized that the project is a concrete example of joint commitment in the fight against climate change, explicitly citing the encyclical Laudato Si’ promoted by Pope Francis. With this step, the Holy See confirms its intention to combine technological development, environmental protection, and respect for the agricultural and hydrogeological vocation of the territory, while also preserving archaeological landscape heritage of the area.
The agreement is not just a technical accord, but a concrete symbol of how diplomacy can promote sustainable development, institutional dialogue, and protection of Creation. It also represents the result of the motu proprio “Fratello Sole,” through which Pope Francis entrusted APSA and the Vatican Governorate with the mandate to build the plant, confirmed in the current commitment by both Pope Francis and Pope Leone XIV.
