European Policy Centre’s Post

The H2OforAll consortium gathered in Stockholm, Sweden, for its General Assembly Meeting on the 21st and 22nd of November 2024, hosted by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Key discussions included a review of achievements, with insights into the 1st review report presented by Project Coordinator Rui Martins (UC), reflecting on milestones achieved. Work Package leads provided updates on advanced DBP sensing technologies, risk assessment, sustainable treatment methods, and public engagement strategies. Additionally, an innovation visit to the Sjöstadsverket Water Innovation Centre showcased cutting-edge solutions in water management.

Don’t Miss This Event Coming Up Soon! 🗓️ 23/01/2025, 10:00-11:30 CET 💡 Policy alignment: toward a coherent and supportive EU policy framework, promoted by Brilian. 🎯 The BRILIAN project has been conceived to support the adoption of sustainable and cooperative business models in rural areas, to incorporate agricultural by-products valorisation, seeking to increase and diversify primary producers’ income. 🌱 These business models will contribute to enhance rural development, biodiversity preservation and climate-neutrality, easing a smoother transition towards bio-based economies. 🧑🌾 It plays a fundamental role in revitalizing these regions and promoting sustainable economic and social development by transforming primary producers into active players in the supply chain, aligned with the goals outlined in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the Green Deal, and the European Bioeconomy Strategy.

🌍 Policy Alignment for a Sustainable Future. Save the Date! 🚀 📅 Date: 23/01/2025 ⏰ Time: 10:00-11:30 CET In today’s fast-changing world, fragmented policies across sectors and governance levels can slow progress and create inefficiencies. Our upcoming webinar dives into how integrated policies across economic, social, environmental, and technological domains can drive sustainable growth. 🔍 What to Expect: ✅ The evolving European policy landscape & its impact on rural communities ✅ Contradictions in policy frameworks & implementation challenges ✅ Bioeconomy strategies & biomass utilization dilemmas ✅ Structural issues affecting EU agriculture & the rural bioeconomy ✅ Policy gaps & recommendations for rural development ✅ Strategies for an efficient bioeconomy strategy revision 🎯 Who Should Join? Policymakers, researchers, Agri-sector professionals, agricultural associations, and practitioners—this session is for you! Gain actionable strategies to support a more coherent policy ecosystem. 📌 Register Now 👉https://lnkd.in/dHYCNr6G Secure your spot and be part of this crucial discussion on shaping policies for a better future! Brilian is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and its members, the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC). #CircularFutureforRuralAreas #Brilian #BrilianProject

From theory (Assess, Commit, Transform, Disclose) to practice: discover the nature journey of 8 different companies from across #agrifood, #builtenvironment and #energy systems. 📗New reports highlight how they undertook the different actions share insights and the tools they used, including #ENCORE. 📆 Join the webinar on 5 September 🔗Links below the original post Excellent job by WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development as part of the #SUSTAINproject!! #NaturePositive #impacts #dependencies #biodiversity #NatureFinance #business #nature

Research underscores how advanced tools can significantly enhance ag productivity and sustainability.

Research underscores how advanced tools can significantly enhance ag productivity and sustainability.

📢 New Report Published: Water Governance Fragmentation in the RETOUCH NEXUS project Countries 🌍💧 We are excited to share the latest report from the RETOUCH NEXUS project, which provides a comprehensive assessment of water governance fragmentation in six countries: Belgium, Germany, Malta, Slovakia, Spain, and The Netherlands. The report highlights key challenges in achieving coherence between governance approaches across different government levels and critical sectors such as water, energy, food, and ecosystems (WEFE). Through literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, and workshops, we’ve explored the initiatives taken by these countries to improve coordination and collaborative governance. While progress has been made, there remains significant room for improvement in areas such as local coordination, capacity building, stakeholder involvement, and the use of local knowledge. Key recommendations include: 🔹 Enhancing coordination at local/project levels 🔹 Investing in capacity building and stakeholder engagement 🔹 Creating experimentation spaces to foster innovation This report underscores the need for continuous collaboration to drive more effective water governance and sustainability practices across Europe. 💼 Read the full report and join the conversation on how we can strengthen water governance! https://lnkd.in/eSb2wrwq #WaterGovernance #Sustainability #RETOUCHNEXUS #WEFE #Collaboration #WaterManagement #PolicyInnovation #SustainabilityLeadership

New sectorial business case study documents on #nature – learn from the peers in #agrifood, #builtenvironment and #energy systems! As part of the #SUSTAINproject, we have published 3 insightful sector-focused case study documents. They highlight practical insights into how companies are working to identify and assess their nature-related issues and the essential role these sectors play in contributing to the global goal for nature. Dive into the details to find out more about typical dependencies, impacts and risks on nature for these systems and 8 companies’ nature journeys: ❔ The WHY: the rationale to act on nature as a private sector company  🔧 The WHAT: use of tools in the process and alignment with relevant frameworks, standards and disclosure schemes  💡 The HOW: some practical examples of how to identify, asses, commit and act on nature-related issues     While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, they offer an opportunity to learn about the different experiences, challenges, risks and opportunities to strategically integrate nature in their business. The full documents are available for download here: https://lnkd.in/ggeVDGmw   📢 Webinar Announcement - Don't miss out hearing more about the company nature journeys in the upcoming WEBINAR on 5 September at 9:00 CEST: register here https://lnkd.in/gqJbvmyz    15:00 CEST: register here https://lnkd.in/gRQCgQNv We are very thankful for contribution to: SACYR, AECOM, Holcim, Olam Agri, Nutrien, Iberdrola, Equinor, CLP, Nature-based Insights Capitals Coalition, ShareAction, UNEP-WCMC, Oxford Sustainable Finance Group, PBL Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving, IUCN, IUCN European Regional Office, ETH Zürich, Fundación Biodiversidad #NatureRelatedIssues #NaturePositive #impacts #dependencies #biodiversity #NatureFinance #business #nature

🌱 Exciting News! 🌱 Pleased to share that the following article was presented at the FULLRECO4US Symposium in Istanbul 2023, and later published in a special issue in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering: "Resource recovery in line with energy generation at an agro-food industry" Urediler, B., Yilmaz, S., Özgün, Ö.K., and Yangin-Gomec, C. Published in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, Vol. 18, 154 (2024). 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/daWBmXSR The study showcases innovative approaches to resource recovery and energy generation in agro-food industries, aligning with sustainability goals. 🌍♻️ We’re delighted to see research presented at our symposium reach a wider audience! #FULLRECO4US #Sustainability #ResourceRecovery #AgroFood #EnergyGeneration #Research

🌱 The topic of the second panel, which we organized within the framework of COP29 Azerbaijan was the integration of the agricultural sector of Ukraine into the EU climate regulatory system: the role of policymakers, the private and financial sectors. The panel participants were: ▪️Gianpiero Nacci, Director of the Green Economy and Climate Action Department, EBRD, ▪️Herwig Ranner, Head of Climate and Agriculture, DG AGRI, European Commission, ▪️Olexandra Avramenko, Chair of the European Integration Committee, Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club", ▪️Prof. Dr. Alphonse Ballmann, Director of the Leibniz Institute for the Development of Agriculture in Transition Economies, ▪️Denys Bashlyk, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformations and Digitalization. The panel moderator was Spivakova Kateryna, Director of Communications and Government Engagement, Kernel. We discussed sustainable development and integration with the EU with international experts, namely the unique opportunities for transforming Ukraine's agricultural sector. The European Union recognizes Ukraine as a key player in the agricultural market, particularly in transitioning to green energy and reducing CO₂ emissions. A significant part of the Ukrainian agricultural sector is small and medium-sized producers who face barriers in adopting climate-focused technologies. Among the approaches recommended by experts: 1️⃣ Access to Quality Data: Enabling producers to understand risks and opportunities, fostering investment readiness with clear risk management plans. 2️⃣ Investment Planning & Standards: Aligning with international standards to integrate sustainable practices and attract green financing. As one of Ukraine’s leading agricultural companies, we are committed to driving this transformation. By adopting innovations like precision agriculture, minimizing tillage, and transitioning to renewable energy, we’re reducing environmental impact and enhancing economic stability. Together, we can position Ukraine’s agricultural sector at the forefront of the EU’s green transition. 🌍