Civil aviation significantly contributes to “hard-to-abate” emissions, responsible for 2% of global CO₂ emissions. This paper examines the most effective policies to promote Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) in Italy, using a multi-level policy analysis and a stakeholder-based case study approach. The policies reviewed comprise the international, European, and national level. The paper analyses at the international level, ICAO CORSIA and, at the European level, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), ReFuel EU, and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for aviation. Italy has not yet implemented specific policies targeting SAF transition, which is challenging due to commercialization issues and policy inconsistencies. These include the price gap between SAF and conventional fuels, different definitions adopted, and environmental objectives pursued with respect to sustainable fuels by ICAO and the EU. Other challenges include double-counting risks and fuel tankering practices. This article contributes to Italy’s SAF policymaking by developing a stakeholder-based quantitative survey, whose results suggest that three measures are key: tax subsidies for technology and infrastructure users, tax credits for upgrading production infrastructure, and tax breaks for SAF-using companies, fuel handlers, and distributors.

Urban freight generates a disproportionate share of urban externalities, yet the large-scale integration of eco-friendly vehicles (EFVs) remains limited. Barriers include high capital costs, inadequate charging/refuelling infrastructure, and fragmented governance frameworks. This article examines how regulatory structures and stakeholder alignment shape EFV adoption in Rome, analysing two pilot solutions: (i) a shared hub for electric and hydrogen freight vehicles, and (ii) a cargo-bike programme combining service-trip separation with reverse logistics. The methodological approach integrates a structured review of recent scholarship—organised in line with PRISMA guidance and enriched with bibliometric analysis—with empirical insights from five Living Lab workshops involving logistics providers, energy firms, technology suppliers, and industry associations. The findings highlight that progress depends less on technological capability than on policy mixes matched to stakeholder incentives. For the hub, decisive factors include siting, governance, and scale, while for cargo-bikes, reliability of dispatch, remuneration models, and certified training are critical. The study concludes that Rome’s path to freight decarbonisation requires regulatory and financial packages continuously tailored to actors’ operational priorities and behavioural responses.

Using electric vehicles in urban freight distribution generates opportunities (e.g., zero emissions in urban areas) and challenges (e.g., range of electric vehicles). Their adoption implies that operators need to change the approach to freight distribution. As an example, the reduced range of an electric vehicle substantially reduces the kilometers traveled before a recharging stop. This implies a redefinition of routes, fleet size, personnel, and vehicle charging management. This research investigates the changes that operators must make when using shared charging hubs. Given the interest of logistic companies in reducing both their fixed and operating costs, the use of shared recharging hubs for electric vans and trucks constitutes a relevant applied research theme. This paper explores the pre-feasibility of some possible concrete scenarios. In more detail, the investigated scenarios involve charging hubs located in three different settings: at the depot, based on client distribution, and scattered across the area. The aim is to assess the performance of each scenario under the assumption that the position of the charging hub reflects the choices of operators on the usage of electric freight vehicles. The indicators considered for comparison are the delivery service time, the charging time and the number of routes.