GREENER ECONOMY AND
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
ECPD International Institute for Sustainable
Development,
Urban Planning and Environmental Studies,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
EUROPEAN APPROACH / CASE OF SLOVENIA
Janez Podobnik
ECPD Intarnational institute
Director
13th April 2011, Brussels
About us
• based in Ljubljana, Slovenia
• part of the European Center for Peace and
Development (ECPD) which is a part of the
United Nations University for Peace
• director: Janez Podobnik
• partner of International Center for Promotion of
Enterprises on many common projects (ICAM
Conference)
•
contact details:
European Center For Peace and Development, Dunajska 104, 1000 Ljubljana
E-mail: info@ecpd.si
Phone: + 386 40 665 163
Website: www.ecpd.si
Contents
1. EUROPE 2020 – The crucial document on
sustainable development in the European
Union
2. EU Guidelines on Sustainable Use of
Resources
3. Low carbon society in Slovenia
4. Opportunities for Slovenia
5. Conclusion
EUROPEAN APPROACH
SITUATION IN EUROPE:
‘’
1. The crisis has wiped out long-term
progress
2. Europe must react to avoid decline
3. Europe’s room for manoeuvering is
constrained
4. Europe must learn the lessons and
turn towards future
5. What is the goal for Europe in 2020?
6. From exit to a lasting recovery
7. Three priorities for sustainable
growth and jobs ‘’
Source: Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European
Commission – Informal European Council Meeting, 11.
February 2010
The crisis has wiped out long-term
progress
1. GDP growth – 4%, worst since the 1930s
2. Industrial production -20%, back to the 1990
3. Unemployment levels
23 million people in 2010
7 million more predicted till end of 2011
unemployment levelsclose to 10%, back to 1990
levels
yout unemployment over 21 %
The crisis has wiped out long-term
progress
Europe must react to avoid decline
Europe’s room for manoeuvering is
constrained
• Public finances are severely affected:
average public deficits at 7% and
average public debts at 80%
•
Banking system is not fixed: reduced
bank lending is hampering the recovery
•
Global competition is fierce: emerging
economies of China, India, Brazil
Source: Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission –
Informal European Council Meeting, 11. February 2010
Europe’s room for manoeuvering is
constrained
Source: Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission –
Informal European Council Meeting, 11. February 2010
Europe must learn the lessons and turn
towards future
• EU economies are interdependent (example: European
automotive indsutry)
For each 1000€ growth in a member State 200€ goes
to other Member States via inter-trade
• Coordination is crucial – decision in one Member State
impact others
• The EU adds strength: EURO gained importance as a
global reserve currency, EU’s leadership in G20
Europe must learn the lessons and turn
towards future
What is the goal for
Europe in 2020?
« Strong recovery »
a full return to earlier
growth path and a
capacity to go
beyond
« Sluggish recovery »
a permanent loss in
wealth and stagnation
on
a lower growth path
« Lost decade »
a permanent loss in
wealth
and an eroded
potential for
future growth
From exit to a lasting recovery
• EXIT = ENTRY INTO A DIFFERENT ECONOMY
THAN BEFORE THE CRISIS
• FACE UP LONG TERM REALITIES:
Globalisation, oil peak and pressure on
resources, ageing, technological advancements
• 2020 STARTS NOW: sustainable growth, fiscal
consolidation
Three priorities for sustainable growth
and jobs
• GROWTH BASED ON INNOVATION:
– innovation
– education
– digital society
• AN INCLUSIVE HIGH-EMPLOYMENT SOCIETY
– employment
– skills
– fighting poverty
• GREEN GROWTH: A COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE
ECONOMY
– combating climate change
– clean and efficient energy
– competitiveness
EU Commission – Guidelines
on Sustainable Use of
Resources, 20.9.2011
• Need to reform the economy, not just improve!
• Europe is too dependent on import of energy sources (oil)
• Use less resources and produce more (replace existing
products with more eco-friendly, recycle)
• Environmentalists and industry must forget past divisions and
join forces as partners
• Good resource management and competitiveness do not
exclude eachother!
• Europe must remain the leading player in green technologies
and sustainable development policies
Janez Potočnik Ph.D. – European Commission, Commissioner for the Environment
EU Commission – Guidelines on
Sustainable Use of Resources,
20.9.2011
•
•
•
more rational management of resources is inevitable for
Europe
This can be achieved in two ways:
a) companies that need more time for the adaptation, should
be given a less painful transformation
b) companies that adapt more quickly will gain more benefit
from it
Europe should think in new ways in:
a) waste management (16 tonnes of material are used per
person/year, 6 tonnes end as waste) b) R&D c) energy d)
transport e) construction f) industry g) agriculture h)
commerce
EU Commission – Guidelines on
Sustainable Use of Resources, 20.9.2011
New business opporatunities and green jobs in:
1.
Recycling
2.
Better product design
3.
Supplement of materials
4.
Eco-engineering
Instruments for achievement of these goals:
1.
Directives (national and European)
2.
Tax policies (on specific materials)
3.
Support for sustainable production and consumption
Low carbon society in Slovenia
– facts
•
Population: 2 million people – CO2 emissions:
20 million tons per year
•
Biodiversity: 4 natural landscape types:
•
•
•
•
•
The Alps and the prealpine hills
Dinaric mountains
Mediterranean landscape
Pannonian plain
Rich in forests – third most forested country in
Europe (59 % of the country)
•
286 Natura 2000 protection designated areas
(36 % of the country – the largest among EU
member states)
•
Signed for a reduction of annual greenhouse
gas emisions by 8% compared to 1986
Transition of Slovenia into low-carbon
society – the challenges
1.
Change of people’s behavior
2.
Education on energy
efficiency (eco-schools, ecokindergartens)
3.
The biggest challenge are the
roles of the energetic and
transport sector (increasing
freight traffic; bad state of
national railways)
Low carbon society & climate
change policies in Slovenia
• 2009: establishment of the Office for
climate change
• Preparation of long-term low-carbon
strategy for Slovenia till 2050 (to be
adopted by parliament by 2011)
• National energy programme 2011
(currently in development process)
Climate Change Act Draft Proposals
• long term targets of emissions
reduction by 80%,
• regulating voluntary carbon footprint of
activities and products,
• internalising the external costs of
greenhouse gas emissions,
• carbon budgets for the non-ETS sectors,
• funding of climate related measures in
developing countries,
• monitoring of progress
Slovenian Experiences on Climate
Change
• Platform “Slovenia reduces CO2 “
• In 2010, 6 panel discussions took place live and
over the internet at the same time
• 2011, expansion of the platform to promote good
practices
• Launched programme, called “Environmentally
Efficient State Administration”
Regional and international
Cooperation - 1
• SLOVENIAN EU PRESIDENCY (first half
2008) – ‘’Energy climate package’’
• Alpine Convention framework
• Submitting an EU Interreg project under
the Alpine Space Programme, named
ALPSTAR
• Climate neutrality of the Alps, making
existing good practices a common practice
Regional and international
Cooperation - 2
• Alpine Convention framework (the first
international treaty that Slovenia signed as an
independent country; Slovenia held the
presidency from 2009 to 2011)
• REDD+ Partnership (intergovernmental effort
aimed at forest preservation, launched in 2010)
• Green policy promotion in EU Interreg projects
(with Austria and Italy)
Regional and international
Cooperation - 3
• Joining the REDD+ Partnership (Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Forest Degradation +
Preservation)
• Sustainable forest management and enhancement of
forest carbon stocks in developing countries
• Identification of possible projects with partner countries
• Pilot project of Energy rehabilitation and district heating
in Mojkovac, Montenegro
• Study on energy rehabilitation of public buildings and the
introduction of a renewable source of energy for heating
National Energy Efficiency Action Plan
2008-2016
• Target: cumulative energy saving of 9% over a nineyear period
•
The NEEAP determines:
– the calculation of baseline final energy consumption
– savings interim target for 2008–2010 period (2,5%)
– savings target for 2008–2016 period
– 50% from renewable sources by 2030
–
–
–
–
energy efficiency instruments
cross-sector and horizontal instruments
public sector instruments
financing of the Action Plan
• Goal: creation of conditions for transfer into low-carbon society
(renewable sources of energy and smart-grid development)
National Energy Efficiency Action Plan
2008-2016
• Financing of the Action Plan
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cost of measures
Financial sources:
National budget
EU funds
EE tax
Private (PPP)
Energy performance contracting
provision for energy supplying companies, they have to implement projects
for final users to improve energy end-use efficiency
National Energy Efficiency Action
Plan 2008-2016
• Implementation of the Action Plan
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Energy efficiency agency – implementing body
Evaluation (calculation methods)
International freight road transit
Exclusion of ETS /national targets
Negative effect of EE in buildings on the share of RES-H
Financing:
Yearly based budgets
Too many too small local communities
Economy crisis in 2009, 2010, 2011, …
National Energy Programme 2011
Main Priorities - 2
•
Utilization of renewable sources of energy;
•
Long-term goals: Heat: 33 % until 2020, Electric Energy: 40%
until 2020
•
Effective use of energy; Industry (energy effective electromotors, pumps
and ventilators), Energy-saving public lightning, Subventions: 30% 50%, 30 million € for 2011, 2012, 2013
-
Stimulating the use of remote systems for heating of wood biomass (upto date boilers and systems of coproduction of heat and electric energy),
remote systems on geotermal energy, with or without production of
electric energy
Subventions: 46,7 million EUR from 2009 until 2013
-
Renewable sources use projects –
case 1
Boiler through use of wood biomass, SVEA, Litija, Slovenia
Renewable sources use projects –
case 2
Remote heating through wood biomass, Lenart, Slovenia
Possibilities for Slovenian sustainable
development policies
SLOVENIA – ADVANTAGES
SLOVENIA - DISADVANTAGES
Geographic position in Europe
High percentage of farming areas with
low farming potential
Climate suitable for living and farming
Poor self-cleaning capabilities of most
affected regional ecosystems
Preserved biodiversity*
Very high level of dispersion of
settlement
* (strategic environmental assessment – extra
presentation – Ms. Diana Mrak)
Abundance of certain renewable
sources
Centralization of economic activities in
only few parts of the country
Manageable urbanization &
metropoliation
High percentage of energetically and
environmentally intensive industries
History of polycentric regional
development & strong regional
identities
Excessive local energy and resource
use
Mostly mild and reparable forms of
environmental degradation
Low-carbon society – an individual’s
view
• WHAT’S THE POINT?
– the future lies in individual’s approach to climate
change mitigation and sustainable development
– EXAMPLE:
CARBON FOOTPRINT PRINCIPLE
– Change in consumerism – informed consumers
– Innovation of people’s habits
– How can I help?
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SLOVENIA
• 1. GREEN JOBS
• 2. RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
• 3. ENERGY EFFICIENCY
• 4. EFFICIENT ENERGY SOURCE USE
• 5. ENTER A LOW-CARBON SOCIETY
• 6. ECO-INNOVATIONS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SLOVENIA
1.
2.
3.
GREEN JOBS: Jobs in the field of waster and waste
water treatment, bio-agriculture, green/sustainable
tourism, sustainable energy use.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES: Use of wind,
solar, water potential, biomass and geothermal.
Unfortunately Slovenian investments in these sources
have halved in the past 15 years. Slovenia is now
finding new possibilities to use these resources –
finanching sheme is underway to finance 5 new sites
for geothermal energy.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Biggest opportunity are public
and private buildings, energy efficiency transport and
small companies.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SLOVENIA
4. CREATION OF A LOW-CARBON SOCIETY: This can
be made possible by innovations, new products and
investments in new, ‘’clean’’ products.
5. ECO-INNOVATIONS: Very important is the promotion of
installment of intelligent building management
systems, energy efficient public lightning systems, reuse of waste water.
ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SLOVENIA
• Economy with ecooriented R&D and
product
development
• Hidria – green
mobility and energy
efficient solutions
for energy
management in
buildings
• Robotina – energy
efficient energy
management in
buildings
TO CONCLUDE …
SLOVENIA HAS 4 UNIVERSAL PILLARS OF SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT. THESE ARE:
1.
Development of industry and services that do not affect
biosphere and environment
2.
Development of industry and services that do not create
substances that cannot disintegrate naturally
3.
Development of industry and services that do not act
destructively on ecosystems
4.
Development of industry and services that with their local
presence enable good quality of life for the local
communities.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Janez Podobnik, Director
info@ecpd.si