Abstract
Environmental protection is a transversal matter intended as both an overall objective and a distinctive policy field. Its complex nature has made the division of legislative powers as well as the creation of cooperation mechanisms in this field extremely critical. Italy is an illustrative example in this sense. While the Italian Constitution identifies the environment as an exclusive national power, Regions have traditionally played a central role in the regulation of environmental issues. The presentation will illustrate the consolidation of environmental protection as a distinctive policy field in the Italian legal system. Furthermore, it will present the institutional conflicts between the State and the Regions concerning the exercise of legislative powers in the field of environmental protection together with the existing cooperative mechanisms.