Production, dispersal, sedimentation and taphonomy of spores/pollen
Green diplomacy of the Baltics
1. GREEN DIPLOMACY AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
IN THE BALTIC STATES
Anastasija Baranovska
PhD Candidate
Latvian Academy of Culture
2. CONTENTS
GREEN DIPLOMACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
BALTIC STATES AND THEIR CULTURAL VALUES
BALTIC STATES: NATION BRANDING
EFFORTS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
BALTICS AS GREEN DIPLOMATS
3. GREEN/ CLIMATE/ ENVIRONMENTAL DIPLOMACY
public diplomacy is ‘an international
actor’s attempt to manage the
international environment through
engagement with a foreign public’
soft power – ‘the ability of an actor to
get what it wants in the international
environment thank to the attractiveness
of its culture rather than military or
economic power.’
green diplomacy – cooperation
between and among formal and
informal actors within the framework of
the global environmental issues.
4. GREEN DIPLOMACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
1979 - 1st World Climate Conference
1983 - UN delegates the Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem
Brundtland to run World Commission on Environment and
Development
1987 - Brundtland Report
1992 – UN Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) the Agenda 21 or the Rio Declaration on Environment
and Development, Commission on Sustainable Development
1993 - Convention on Biological Diversity
1997 - Kyoto Protocol
5. GREEN DIPLOMACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
2000 – UN Millennium Development Goals (8)
2006 – a movie ‘An Inconvenient Truth’
2012 - RIO+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, green
economy,
17 UN Sustainable
Development Goals
6.
7. GREEN DIPLOMACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
2015 - Paris Climate Conference the Paris Agreement
UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
National Regional Global
‘In deciding upon these Goals and targets, we recognise that each
country faces specific challenges to achieve sustainable development,
and we underscore the special challenges facing the most vulnerable
countries and, in particular, African countries, least developed countries,
landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, as
well as the specific challenges facing the middle-income countries.
Countries in situations of conflict also need special attention.’
8. GREEN DIPLOMACY NETWORK
EUROPEAN UNION
2003 - Thessaloniki
European Council
2012 - chaired by the
European External Action
Service
9. European Green Deal
European
Commission
“The European
Green Deal is our
plan to make the
EU's economy
sustainable. We can
do this by turning
climate and
environmental
challenges into
opportunities, and
making the
transition just and
inclusive for all.’
12. BALTIC STATES AND THEIR CULTURAL VALUES 1
work ethic, good planners individualism, nature and
its preservation, careful with money, creative and
original, cynical about power, introversion, home and
family, independence and national identity,
intellectual, skills and education, good taste and
well-mannered, reserved and non-emotional,
honest, order and cleanliness.
‘If asked to describe their own communication style,
they use words such as reserved, critical, closed,
stubborn and wooden’.
Lewis, R. When Cultures Collide.
ESTONIA
13. BALTIC STATES AND THEIR CULTURAL VALUES 2
honesty and loyalty, arts (esp.
singing), entrepreneurship,
conservatism, melancholy,
individualism, work ethic, discipline,
respect for nature, attachment to the
land, family; clean, neat homes, old-
fashioned politeness, physical
strength, love of books.
‘Latvians, traditionally farmers and
soldiers, have a problem in reasserting
their influence in commercial life.’
LATVIA
14. BALTIC STATES AND THEIR CULTURAL VALUES 3
preservation of national identity, generosity,
Catholicism, strong historical consciousness,
music (esp. choirs) and dancing, love of nature,
hospitality, family, spontaneous attitude,
sentiment, morality, romanticism
‘Treat Lithuanians as persons and as friends. Show
a strong interest in their countryside, arts and
aesthetic achievements.’
LITHUANIA
15. COMMON BALTIC TRADITIONS
The Summer Solstice Celebration (Jāņi/ Līgo)
Song (Choir) and Dance Festival in the open air
Baltic Sea summer houses
16. COMMON BALTIC TRADITIONS
woods --> herbals
berry picking
mushrooming
canning
gathering of birch water
in early spring
the Great Clean-Up
17. BALTIC STATES: NATION BRANDING
Estonia (2016)
just ESTonishing & e-Estonia
(digital government:e-residency, e-banking, Wi-
Fi everywhere, cyber safety)
19. BALTIC STATES: NATION BRANDING
Lithuania (2009)
‘Selling Lithuania Smartly’
‘The oak remains an unofficial
symbol, which the entire nation
seems to have agreed upon. To
Lithuanians, the oak is strong and
noble, and at the same time
sacred.’
20. EFFORTS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: ESTONIA
Estonia (2005, 2015): national strategy (Baltics)
viability of cultural space (cultural participation,
preservation of Estonian population)
welfare growth (economic, innovation in the society,
sustainability of public finance)
coherent society (equal opportunities, access to
internet, security)
ecological balance (use of natural resources,
sustainable energy, envir. friendly transp.)
digital leadership (e-government solutions)
21. EFFORTS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT : LATVIA
Latvia (2010, 2017-2020)
Latvija 2030: culture, creativity, understanding about
interculturalism
green-tech cluster
a cooperation platform for development of green and smart
technologies in Latvia and Baltic Sea Region
companies, educational and research institutions, other
organizations that partly or fully operate in the industries of
green and smart technologies
22. EFFORTS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT : LITHUANIA
2018: national review on SDG,
2019: green finance pioneer
a regional centre of green/
sustainable finance (to invest in
Lithuania)
European Commission-funded
project launched in Lithuania to
promote green investment
(Green Finance Institute in
Lithuania)
24. BALTIC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
(Bioeconomy in the Baltic Sea Region: principles for a
sustainable development)
5 principles for a sustainable Nordic and Baltic bioeconomy
1. Sustainable resource management
2. Food security and health
3. Resilient and diverse ecosystems
4. Inclusive economic and social prosperity
5. Sustainable consumption
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, pleased to meet you, and pleased to be one of the first ones today. So, I am PhD Candidate in International Relations and Public Diplomacy. And the subject of my todays presentation sounds GREEN DIPLOMACY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE BALTIC STATES. First and foremost I would like to emphasize from my side that I am not a researcher of the SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT itself, but my research field is rather focused on public and cultural diplomacy, nation branding and internatinal relatins. So any suggestions regarding the sustainability are very welcome.
So, I will start with Green Diplomacy, its definition and context nowadays.
Then I will tell a couple of words, what actually BALTIC STATES are, and their cultural values and cultural standards.
Then I will give a brief overview of the way how and why Baltic States are sustainable, and how do they demonstrate it in their nation branding campaigns, as well as regional branding campaigns.
Then will follow the latest tendencies, efforts and particularities in sustainable developments of the Baltic countries. And some considerations, why the BALTICS can be referred to as GREEN DIPLOMATS.
Nowadays it is a special form, mix of the classical and public diplomacy, adapted to the specific and universal environmental problems, particularly in the second half of the second century onwards.
- A diplomacy that seeks to harmonize the interests of a state and other’s interests along with the interests of every human being on the Planet, concerning the conservation and development of natural conditions of life.
- The major objective of this modern type of diplomacy is highlighted to empower the human beings, the micro and macro human community towards protecting, conserving and sustainable development of the Earth’s natural heritage.
- Being one of the subtypes of public diplomacy, and public diplomacy is an instrument of Soft Power, green diplomacy, is another way to go beyond bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.
- Whereas cultural diplomacy is a tool, which interconnects different cultures (their organizations as well as individuals), green diplomacy is a mechanism, which links ecological cooperation.
- Since the beginning of 2000-ies Green or Climate or Environmental Diplomacy has gained a high grade of importance. Such global issues as climate change made the biggest states cooperate.
Advancement of green building standards, renewable energy initiatives, institutionalized attempts in prevention of global warming and at long last, the Earth Day Celebration all around the world are the result of a permanent multilateral exchange.
I HAVE PREPARED A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STAGES, MILESTONES OF THE HISTORY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- Green Diplomacy is one of the key initiatives of the European Union since 2003.
was launched an initiative by the Thessaloniki European Council to promote the integration of environment into external relations through the creation of an informal network, the so-called ‘Green Diplomacy Network’, which since 2012 is chaired by the European External Action Service. This network involves officials of the EU’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and their diplomatic missions, including the European External Action Service and the EU Delegations, who deal with the issues of environment and sustainable development.
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/international_issues/green_diplomacy_en.htm
U.S. Department of State. Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Office of Public Diplomacy. Green Diplomacy. Environmental Diplomacy in Europe. Spring 2008. pp. 1-5 https://2001-2009.state.gov/documents/organization/105097.pdf
Cull, N. J. (2009) Public Diplomacy. Lessons from the Past. Ed. by N. J. Cull. Los Angeles, CA: FIGUEROA PRESS. p. 12
Nye, Joseph S. (2004) Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. Cambridge: Perseus Books. p. 7
Copyright: Copyright Karl Dolenc, Beholdingeye.com
Getting back to the historically significant moments, it should be pointed out that exactly the Rio Conference in 2012 and the Millennium Development Goals of 2000 (inviting to combat poverty and for equal natural resource allocation) served as a basis and reference mark for the today 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, whereby several of them are directly connected to environment and natural resources, f. ex., Climate Action, Life on Land, Life Below Water, Clean Water and Sanitation, Responsible Consumption and Production, Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The Eight Millennium Development Goals are:
to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;
to achieve universal primary education;
to promote gender equality and empower women;
to reduce child mortality;
to improve maternal health;
to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases;
to ensure environmental sustainability; and
to develop a global partnership for development.
In 2015 at the Paris Climate Conference the Paris Agreement – the first-ever universal and legal global climate change agreement, was adopted as the global countermeasure to the negative consequences of climate change, f. ex., such as global warming.
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/10a01.pdf
the first-ever universal and legal global climate change agreement, was adopted as the global countermeasure to the negative consequences of climate change, f. ex., such as global warming.
This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity.
Interlinking people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership, the UN country members have framed a plan of action for humanity, committing to the shared principles and targets, whereby the focal of them are to combat poverty, famine and all types of inequalities within and among different countries. Exactly environmental sustainability is a foundation in ensuring the sustainable prosperity and well-being of all people within planetary boundaries https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/environment-and-climate-change/413/environment-and-climate-change_en
The network (involving foreign ministries, embassies, development co-operation agencies) aims to leverage the worldwide diplomatic resources of the enlarged EU to promote the EU's vision on sustainable development and the environment.
The ‘green diplomacy network’ aims to rally the world to the EU positions on protection of the environment and sustainable development.
The green diplomacy network’s working programme sets out five main priorities:
- persuading Russia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol (to ensure that it enters into force) during the negotiations on climate change that will take place in Milan from 1-12 December 2003;
- reducing the rate of biodiversity loss and ensuring stricter controls on the trade in genetically modified organisms (GMOs) during the UN meetings on the Convention on Biodiversity and the Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety in February 2004;
- promoting the EU agenda on renewable energy during the World Renewable Energy Conference in June 2004 in Germany;
-reinforcing protection of the marine environment and;
-achieving international environmental governance.
https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/environment-and-climate-change/71928/eu-green-deal-–-global-perspective_en
the European Commission communication on the "EU Green Deal".
to reinforce our impact and generate truly global cooperation on climate action. Strengthening climate diplomacy means working in partnership.
in the EU we have much experience to share – from emissions trading to helping regions adjust as they move away from coal; and we have the means to help, as the world's biggest climate finance donor, providing along with our Member States over 40% of the world's public climate finance.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
1. Environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain rates of renewable resource harvest, pollution creation, and non-renewable resource depletion that can be continued indefinitely.
2. Economic sustainability is the ability to support a defined level of economic production indefinitely.
3. Social sustainability is the ability of a social system, such as a country, to function at a defined level of social well being indefinitely.
In essence, sustainability is a deliberate set of efforts aimed at balancing of 3 different components – environment, economy and society.
Sustainable development is vision for society in which the needs and rights of all are met within the means of the planet - the safe and just space for humanity in the doughnut. In other words, sustainable development means that everyone, including future generations, are able to fulfil their needs and realise their rights, while ensuring that this does not overshoot Earth’s natural resources and fundamental life-supporting systems such as a stable climate and fertile soils.
Sustainability is everywhere.
Used to describe anything from agriculture and economic growth to the tuna on your frozen pizza, it’s a term that has been exploding since the 1980s. We are bombarded with shiny green sustainability labels, aimed at reassuring us that no tree or panda bear were harmed in the making of the product in our hands. You would therefore be forgiven for thinking that ‘sustainable’ is simply a synonym for ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly’. In fact, aside from the idea of durability and lasting for a period of time, there is not a universal understanding of what it actually means. So how can we explain ‘sustainable development’ and why does it matter?
Source: The Ecologist, https://arnaudtatartchoucportfoliotqm.wordpress.com/task-6/
In prehistoric times Finno-Ugric tribes, the predecessors of the modern Balts inhabited a long belt stretching across northern Europe.
Throughout its history, THE BALTIC has literally been at European crossroads, absorbing Russians, Poles, Germans, Jews, Belarusians and Ukrainians.
Then in the 13th century come the times of Order of Brothers of the Sword and their Northern Crusades, basically, the German knights have ruled over the today territory of Latvia and Estonia almost 700 years, while today’s part of Lithuania has long been under the rule of Polish-Lithuanian Grand Duchy.
There was also a specific long-term cooperation between the Baltic region and Germans in trade, what is named Hanseatic League.
Then the Baltic territory was occupied by Polish State in 16th century, then by Swedish in the 17th century, then in the 18th century straightaway by the Russian Empire, then occupied by Nazi Germany, then for 40 years by Soviet Russia, and finally Restoration of Independence in 1989, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
In 1918, while the Baltic homelands were under German occupation, national councils declared independence and established governments.
Principles of the forest pedagogy
FP is qualified Forest-related environmental education
FP addresses all social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainability
FP fosters understanding, interactions and relationships of human-environmental relations in the context of sustainable development
FP is based on knowledge about forest ecosystems and experience in sustainable forestry
FP promotes understanding, use and application of the concept of sustainable development through the example of sustainable forest management
FP demands an holistic approach and it considers world-wide coherences
FP contributes to education for sustainable development (ESD- UN-Decade) and cooperates with other partners engaged in environmental education or education for sustainable development
FP requires active and cooperative educational methods and approaches
FP esteems, promotes and offers forests as healthy and excellent learning-locations for outdoor-education
http://forestpedagogics.eu/portal/
-Baltics are among the greenest countries in Europe. ~50%
BALTIC STATES HAVE ALSO BEEN PRACTICING AND STRIVING TOWARDS HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS.
- current dietary patterns also influence the health of our planet. there have been calls for countries to move towards the promotion of sustainable diets that address both health and environmental objectives. F.ex., The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe and the Riga Stradins University in cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers, from 27 February to 1 March, organize a workshop "Towards healthy and sustainable food systems in the Baltic States" with with the aim of initiating dialogue with countries in the Baltic Sea region on the topic of sustainable diets.
-national sport of picking up of mushrooms in the forests; gathering of different herbals in the forests and preparing some herbal drinks, f. ex., herbal drinks and herbal liqueurs (such as, f. ex., the traditional Latvian herbal liqueur Riga Black Balsam) gathering of birch water in early spring, which is rich in vitamins and other healthy elements.
-To care for our nature and environment, several special initiatives are active. Since 2008, “The Great Clean-up” project aims to make Latvia the greenest and cleanest place on earth. Each year, on a
certain date thousands of volunteers gather to tidy up their grounds, collect trash, plant some greens and refurbish courtyards.
-
https://www.rigablack.com/craft-and-story
https://nra.lv/latvija/regionos/259296-nicas-novada-notiks-kolektiva-senosana-kas-jazina-dalibniekiem.htm
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/lithuania/articles/why-you-should-go-berry-picking-in-the-baltics/
https://www.norden.lv/en/news/210219-towards-healthy-and-sustainable-food-systems-in-the-baltic-states/
https://www.la.lv/video-latvija-vieniga-valsts-pasaule-kura-koronavirusa-laika-notiks-liela-talka
GREENOVATIVE - LATVIAN INSTITUTE PRODUCED A FACTSHEET DEDICATED TO NATION BRANDING
When you combine green and innovative, it is greenovative you get, and, inspired by nature, our scientists and entrepreneurs create marvellous and innovative things. Research is ongoing on spider silk, to replicate it for biomedical purposes (by the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis). An amber thread has been invented and already lauded for its antiseptic qualities (by Inga Ļašenko). The already-mentioned birch tree sap is used instead of water in cosmetics, as Latvian scientists have researched and confirmed: adding birch water to a product increases its anti-ageing qualities (by the University of Latvia and Madara Cosmetics).
http://li.lv/upload/files/03102018/e1634a657a3a3e2bd0a4ebb901085f2a.pdf
The general policy of the country on the issue of Lithuania's image has not been formed. In 2016 the State Department of Tourism has introduced new concept of Lithuania's new national tourism brand“Lithuania. Real is beautiful” – this slogan has been chosen as the main focus of state tourism marketing. But this is tourism.
The activities of Lithuanian image formation commissions are not effective;
The current model of Lithuanian image formation is not effective;
The efficient use of funds is not ensured due to the lack of a systematic image of the country and its image
monitoring of changes in components.
Estonian citizens now enjoy the benefits of e-government solutions: from voting in elections sitting in their living rooms to filing income tax returns in just five minutes, and registering businesses in under 20 minutes.
Estonia’s emergence as one of the global digital leaders, which started when the small country was still a middle-income country, should indeed be a story of great inspiration to other countries. At the World Bank, we look forward to collaborating with the government of Estonia in advancing knowledge in the area of Digital IDs, cyber security and digital government by facilitating peer-to-peer learning between Estonia and our client countries.
https://www.sorainen.com/lithuania-takes-steps-to-becoming-regional-centre-for-green-and-sustainable-finance/
https://www.intellinews.com/lithuania-s-ignitis-to-invest-950mn-in-green-energy-in-baltics-poland-188422/?source=baltic-states
Latvia 2030 is the main long-term policy planning instrument of Latvia.
Challenges identified in the implementation of this measure:
It is important to strengthen the belonging to Latvian culture space, taking into account the ethnic factor, differences of income amounts of inhabitants; concentration of ethnic groups in certain territories. Culture shall foster not only creativity but also other necessary values of society facilitate the development of Latvia, such as empathy, cooperation, involvement, understanding about interculutralism. Civil society values have a great potential in uniting national communities as they are important for both Latvians and other nationalities living in Latvia. It is worth investigating the added value of media space in the formation of the Latvian culture space, to identify the action necessary for increasing the role of the language diversity and intercultural awareness and their impact on the economy. It is essential to take into account the market gaps which exist in the field of culture. Creativity is not only related to creative industries; creativity should be integrated in other fields of economy in order to give profit, as well as in regional development in order to increse the quality of life of indigenous people. Access to cultural space needs to be strengthen by concentrating on those groups of inhabitants which are less involved in the cultural processes and are more passive, as well as access to cultural content in the digital space needs to be fostered, especially regarding youth, diaspora an inhabitants living in regions.
Latvia (2010): Green-Tech Cluster or Green and Smart Technology Cluster is organization developed for cross-sectoral cooperation bringing together companies, educational and research institutions, as well as other organizations that partly or fully operate in the industries of green and smart technologies.
The cluster includes industries important to the sustainable development of Latvia, which also are priority sectors of smart specialization strategy: mechanical engineering and engineering, information, and communication technology and space technology, energy-efficient buildings, efficient production and environmentally-friendly raw materials. This synergy ensures efficient use of available resources and allows to achieve the most efficient development of Latvian economic environment.
Lithuania (2019) now takes steps to become regional centre for green and sustainable finance. Lithuania more and more invests in green energy – wind, solar, hydro, waste and biomass powered plants.The aim of the project is to develop a strategy and action plan to encourage financial flows towards sustainable projects and to increase the appeal of Lithuania as a jurisdiction to attract funding for sustainable (green) projects. The project is expected to provide more opportunities to create a favourable ecosystem for financing sustainable projects through Lithuania as a jurisdiction, to promote the development of sustainable instruments and to engage the public in the pursuit of sustainable development goals.
Two main goals of green finance are to internalize environmental externalities and to reduce risk perceptions. Promoting green finance on a large and economically viable scale helps ensure that green investments are prioritized over business-as-usual investments that perpetuate unsustainable growth patterns. Green finance encourages transparency and long-term thinking of investments flowing into environmental objectives and includes all sustainable development criteria identified by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Green finance covers a wide range of financial products and services, which can be divided into investment, banking and insurance products. The predominant financial instruments in green finance are debt and equity. To meet the growing demand, new financial instruments, such as green bonds and carbon market instruments, have been established, along with new financial institutions, such as green banks and green funds. Renewable energy investments, sustainable infrastructure finance and green bonds continue to be areas of most interest within green financing activities.
Green finance is the financing of investment in all financial sectors and asset classes that integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into the investment decisions and embed sustainability into risk management for encouraging the development of a more sustainable economy. Various actors in the investment value chain have been increasingly including ESG information in their reporting processes. As ESG reporting shifts from niche to mainstream and begins to have balance sheet implications, investors are raising challenging questions on how ESG performance is assessed, managed, and reported. Indeed, ESG factors are critical in the assessment of the risks to insurer’s assets and liabilities, which are threefold: physical risk, transition risk and liability risk. For banks, ESG risks exert an influence on banks’ creditworthiness. Banks can then provide sustainable lending in incorporating environmental outcomes in risk and pricing assessments. Institutional investors can incorporate ESG factors in portfolio selection and management to identifying risks and opportunities.
The Baltic Sea Region has the potential to become one of the world's leading regions in green growth and sustainable development. The region has well-developed infrastructure, technological and environmental knowledge and a large concentration of biomass. The bioeconomy offers many new business and job opportunities; it opens up for new development in rural areas and and it offers an abundance of opportunities to grow primary industries.
The renewable energy targets 2020 – the green obligations on the level of the European Union, are almost equally being met by all the 3 Baltic countries, what they were praised by the European Commission for. Besides, all of them are setting even more ambitious targets for the future decade.
https://renewablesnow.com/news/overview-baltics-clear-2020-renewable-energy-targets-upbeat-on-2030-green-commitments-651885/
The Nordic and Baltic bioeconomy is about a green transition. It is about the replacement of unsustainable and fossil-based resources, through the upgrading of side streams and waste, and by creating circular and sustainable local solutions. Here we summarize the activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers towards a sustainable change.
Five principles for a sustainable Nordic and Baltic bioeconomy
1. Sustainable resource management – responsible use of our shared resources
Develop new technologies to increase output from harvested biomass through resource efficiency
Upgrade residues and waste to higher value products and services to optimise the quality and value
of biomass
Contribute to circular bio-solutions that reuse and recycle materials throughout the value chain.
Case example:
Latvia – “Biolat” is making the most of residues from the logging industry in Latvia to produce new raw materials. Conifer needles and pine cones contain a lot of biologically active substances that Biolat is putting to use to create products that can replace synthetic materials and reduce risks to public health.
2. Food security and health – sufficient and nutritious food for all Support production and innovation in alternative proteins for both feed and food
Improve general health and nutrition by developing new, sustainable and healthy food and pharmaceutical products
Guarantee food security and safety for all.
Case example:
Faroe Islands – Ocean Rainforest/ BlueGreenFuture aims to develop a functional blue biorefinery, which will produce industrial and consumer commodities from sustainably cultivated seaweed. The solution can free valuable land for other uses, while the seaweed cultivation also has beneficial outcomes for the environment. Full industrial scale-up of the biorefinery to 10,000 tonnes of seaweed will sequester 4,300 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the emissions from 2,600 households.
3. Resilient and diverse ecosystems – a liveable planet
Support action to cut air pollution and reduce CO2 emissions throughout the value chain and refine renewable alternatives to fossil-based products and processes
Enhance biodiversity both on land and below water
Restore and sustain soil fertility, protect water quality by lowering usage and use proper
purification processes for recycling.
Case example:
3
Denmark – Utilizing side-streams from Danish Crown meat production, a subsidiary is developing new high- protein ingredients for use in products from sausages to sports nutrition. Value is being found in other side- streams as well, with the development of iron-rich blood-based products for use in the pharmaceutical industry.
4. Inclusive economic and social prosperity – sustainable societies
Create decent new jobs and retain existing ones, especially in rural and coastal areas
Develop and share financially viable and sustainable business models
Provide rural and urban areas with environmental, social and economic opportunities and
encourage new partnerships – at local, regional, national and global levels.
Case example:
Iceland - Skagafjörður, the “Food Fjord” of Iceland, has traditionally been dominated by classic fisheries and agriculture. The transition to a knowledge-based bioeconomy means local companies are now hiring scientists to work on improved utilization and upgrade of marine raw materials. The establishment of a science park has supported substantial collaboration, new innovative companies, and the creation of hundreds of interconnected jobs across different bio-based industries. In response to the 30% reduction on the total allowable catch of cod, in 2007, the fjord Skagafjörður embraced the bioeconomy to generate new revenue streams.
5. Sustainable consumption – changing consumer behaviour
Provide infrastructure that facilitates the reuse, recycling and upcycling of bio-based products
Encourage green procurement in both the public and private sectors
Commit to education and awareness of sustainable practices from kindergarten to university.
Case example:
In Latvia, new farms are being established to meet the demand from the newly founded Direct Buying Movement. The Direct Buying movement in Latvia is built on three basic values; friendship, voluntary work and organic agriculture. Part of the movement evolution is a web-based platform to simplify communication with farmers, automate routine processes and share consumer experiences on buying products from local farmers.
http://bsrbioeconomy.net/5principles/Policybrief_5P.pdf
Sustainability in the Baltic states is not simply a clear commitment and deliberate policy conducted by the state and municipal organs. It is a state of mind, and, if one may say so, mentality or psychology. It is also a uniting feature or rallying point for all the three in itself different Baltic countries. Sustainability is a factor, which is inherent to all the 3 cultural identities, and, in such a way, to the Baltic regional identity in general.
