The document discusses the green economy and sustainability challenges. It notes that while agreements like the Rio Earth Summit and Rio+20 occurred, commitments to address issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality have been lacking. Population and urbanization continue to rise rapidly, putting further stress on the environment and resources. Without changes to prioritize sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase over 50% by 2100, risking a global temperature increase of 3-6 degrees Celsius. However, the document remains optimistic that a green economy focused on social innovation, sharing resources, corporate social responsibility, and empowering green consumers and citizens can help address these issues if global cooperation and commitment to sustainability increases.

1. Green Economy: what’s next
Will socialization of data and production system green our future?
MER – Marketing and Governing Innovative Industrial Areas
Workshop “The green economy: challenges and opportunities”
Trieste 3, 4 and 5 of December 2013

2. Rio de Janeiro – Earth summit 1992:
• Convention on Biological Diversity
• Convention on Climate Change
• Agenda 21
• Forest principles
• UN Convention to Combat Desertification
Rio +20:
The conference declaration, titled "The Future We Want"
is a weak and meaningless document
Governments keep on postponing……

3. …..and are committed with economic/financial crises, other
than being focused merely on national interests
COP (Conference of the parties) is becoming POP (Play of the parties)…

4. Meanwhile….
A billion and a half more people are using and abusing the environment
In the coming three decades this number will approximately double
Plus, raising urban population: 45% (1992) - > 50% (2013) - > 63% (2030)

5. and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider
Trickle-down effect doesn’t work

6. If we continue our wasteful ways by 2050 almost 4 billion people will
live in area experiencing severe water stress

7. The world, largely China and India,
will need 80% more energy most of it based on fossil fuels
Shale gas stirred up enthusiasm…

8. Greenhouse gas emission will remain stable in OECD countries and
Russia, more than double in the rapidly growing BRICS
and rise in the rest of the world increasing globally over 50% pushing the Earth's
temperatures up 3 to 6 degrees celsius by the end of the century.

9. Farming, sprawling cities, logging and climate change could reduce
biodiversity and nature force by another 10%

10. I might keep on listing such negative trends,
however i’d rather focus on what’s ‘greening on’

11. Green economy is turning into Social Innovation

12. Into sharing, collaborative, open source, digital Economy
New ICT and Networked communities are dematerializing economy

13. Green economy is turning into into Blue economy

14. And a smart economy as well
(smart technologies, smart citizens, smart use…)

15. Green marketing is turning into
Corporate Social Responsibility
It’s not only a matter of selling green products, rather creating a green culture and being
concerned with local community in which enterprises operate

16. Green consumers are going to be mainstream
And ever more willing to BOYCOTT or BUYCOTT brands

17. And will likely become green prosumers
(thanks also to WEB 2.0)

18. Citizens are ever more get connected
with nature and through the nature
BioMarkets
Community gardens
Countryside CoHousing

19. Nevertheless, what’s still missing is
• A global approach to sustainability issues
• A global governance concerning such issues
• A real and concrete committment by developed countries
• A green vision for the future (Shale gas, clean coal, tar sand, etc. are are not
the answer)
• A Shared Social Responsibility

20. Governments
And what should be avoided
(among others…)
Enterprises
Citizens
Incentives
to fossil fuels
lack of active participation
Greenwashing

21. But first of all, let’s never forget that
Our economic system in order to work requires
While the opposite is not true
the support of ecological systems
Environment
Society
Economy

22. Thank you for your attention
Umberto Mezzacapo
Consultant and Researcher in Communication and Sustainability at
Ces.Co.Com (Study Centre on Consumption and Communication)
Department of Sociology and Economic Laws
Alma Mater Studiorum
University of Bologna