Research material considering the topic assigned to you and the target group
In this chapter, from all mentioned above, we will define five subchapters, and main subjects, and discover green business in each sector:
1. Sectors, and actions of ecological transition
Priorities of policy implementation in the field of the sustainable environment:
• increasing efficiency in municipal waste management, and preparing for the transition to a circular economy
• quality, and sustainable water management
• reduction of air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions
• risk prevention, promotion of resilience, and adaptation to climate change
• development of circular management of space, and buildings
• development of green infrastructure in urban areas, and creation of green cities
• preservation, and improvement of biodiversity, and sustainable management of ecosystems, natural resources, and biodiversity.
Implementation priorities in the field of energy policy:
• promotion of energy transition, and renewable energy sources
• promotion of advanced biofuels, and electricity, and hydrogen from renewable energy sources
• increasing energy self-sufficiency, and efficiency, and transition to clean energy
• introduction of advanced digitized energy systems, networks, and energy storage
• decarbonization, removal, storage, and recovery of carbon dioxide
• research, development, and application of new technologies
• investments in clean technologies related to hydrogen
• energy renovation of buildings, and suppression of energy poverty.
2. Protection of natural resources: Biodiversity, and fresh air, clean water, healthy soil.
The European Green Deal aims to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. To make this objective legally binding, the Commission proposed the European Climate Law, which also sets a new, more ambitious net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least -55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
Significant economic benefits to EU countries come through nature, for example, through tourism or agriculture. The loss of biodiversity, and functional ecosystems would cause incalculable damage to the economy, and population. Preserving, and improving biodiversity, increasing natural capital, preventing pollution, and protecting the environment are top priorities for economic development in ecological transition. The environment is, therefore, an integral, and inseparable part of economic development.
By horizontal policies for strengthening education, and training, special attention will be paid to improving vocational education for occupations in agriculture, and aquaculture to strengthen skills related to modern, ecologically sustainable production, and aquaculture, including bio-economy, and the use of digital technology. Training agricultural producers, and aquaculture producers, especially young people, and women, will be encouraged to increase knowledge, and skills related to increasing the quality, intensity, and sustainability of production, financial literacy, accounting, and digital skills. This includes greater availability of advisory services related to the challenges of agricultural production, and aquaculture challenges.
Keywords: protecting the biodiversity of one place, ecological farming, protecting water supplies, sustainable tourism
3. Healthy, and affordable food, and longer-lasting products that can be repaired, recycled, and re-used
The link between healthy people, healthy societies, and a healthy planet puts sustainable food systems at the heart of the European Green Deal, the EU’s sustainable, and inclusive growth strategy. It is designed to boost the economy, improve people's health, and quality of life, and care for nature.
The European agriculture, and food system, supported by the Common Agricultural Policy, is already a global standard regarding safety, security of supply, nutrition, and quality. A shift to a sustainable food system can bring environmental, health, and social benefits, and offer fairer economic gains.
The Commission presented the 'farm to fork' strategy in May 2020 as one of the key actions under the European Green Deal. Contributing to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the strategy intends to shift the current EU food system towards a sustainable model.
Food is a social, cultural, and health good that connects people of different cultural, social, and economic characteristics with local communities, and their diversity, and food production is part of the food system, which is extremely important for the sufficient supply of food to the population. The food production sector is also multifaceted with other production, and service sectors, from biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, packaging, logistics, and transport through the ICT industry, education, tourism, and health to the cultural, and creative industry.
Keywords: farm to fork, connecting family farms with inhabitants of big cities, repair, reuse, recycle
4. Energy efficiency, and self-sufficiency, the transition to clean energy
The production, and use of energy account for more than 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonizing the EU’s energy system is, therefore, critical to reaching our 2030 climate objectives, and the EU’s long-term strategy of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Also. U’s new growth strategy aims to transform the EU into a fairer, and more prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy, with no net emissions of greenhouse gases by mid-century.
With transport contributing around 5% to EU GDP, and employing more than 10 million people in Europe, the transport system is critical to European businesses, and global supply chains. At the same time, transport is not without costs to our society: greenhouse gas, and pollutant emissions, noise, road crashes, and congestion.
Based on the connection between energy policy, and reducing the carbon intensity of the economy, and society, the goal is to ensure an affordable, safe, and high-quality energy supply that will contribute to reducing the use of fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating the risk of climate change.
and products, income, business models, and opportunities to increase companies’ competitiveness, and meet the population’s needs.
Keywords: green self-sustainable houses, transportation, electric cars, green travel, solar panels, energy efficiency
Ecological transition in this sector refers to the green transformation of the villages, and cities to self-sustainable houses, solar panel fields, green transportation, etc. Also, these investments will be the driver of balanced, and sustainable regional development, and innovations that bring economic changes, high-quality services,
5. Best practices
Becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to modernize the EU’s economy, and society, and re-orient them towards a just, and sustainable future.
Examples of good practices:
Green network of activist groups
Cities toward ecological transition
City of Zagreb – Garbage solution https://zgvrecice.cistoca.hr/
Sustainable tourism:
From farm to fork
Sustainable development:
7. Sustainable development video: https://www.odraz.hr/multimedia/video-gallery/sustainable-development-whats-that/?lang=en
