Monthly Archives: March 2015

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Business opportunities in non-EU countries

Our company participated in the seminar on business opportunities in countries outside the EU. In this seminar, the business opportunities that may resulting from financial mechanisms of the EU emerged, in relation to the provision of consulting services and construction of infrastructure (by Greek Companies), focusing on countries outside the EU. We learned about the innovative financial instruments of the EU and how they could promote a possible participation in EU-financed programmes mainly in the areas of energy, information and communication (ICT) and transport technologies. Additionally, in this seminar, people from the European Commission presented the practical guide explaining the contracting procedures applicable to all EU external actions, financed from the EU general budget (the EU Budget) and the European Development Fund (EDF). In this guide, people from the European Commission analyzed the basic targets, the contracting procedure and the current policy framework. The Green2Sustain team collected all the useful data and we are available for any information you might need.

Speakers:
a) The Head of Unit Near.B.3 (Audit Agents, European Commission, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Negotiate Address)

b) The Head of Department “Facilities Management” (Financial Instruments Unit, European Commission, Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development)

c) The Head of the Energy sector (Water Unit, Energy, Infrastructure, European Commission, Directorate General for Cooperation and Development)

Blog

Athens Science Festival

The date and time have been fixed: Sunday the 22nd of March 2015, at 16:00, Technopolis, City of Athens 

And we are in the 2nd Athens Science Festival ! Our collaborators will organise a lively and interesting workshop on municipal solid waste management in Greece and the innovative idea of Waste Mining.

But there is more to it ! We have ensured that it is possible to transfer the mobile exhibition on the protection and spawning of the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta. This means that more than 8,000 children and adults will have the opportunity to visit the exhibition and learn about the protection and nesting sea turtles hosted in Greek seas and coasts.

Admission is free with admission tickets, which will be available at Technopolis, during the days of the Festival. Pre-booking available by email: info@athens-science-festival.gr or by phone: 2103692337, 6942783269.

We are awaiting for you with much joy and excitement !!!

See the Athens Science Festival Poster here !

Study the Athens Science Festival Programme here !

Listen to the Athens Science Festival Radio Spot here !

Portfolio

Rehabilitation of oil-polluted areas

Our company’s partners, undertook the assessment of the potential impacts due to a fossil fuel leak in an area of a public body’s property. The relative area consisted of forests and woodlands, of soil grounds as well as of surface water bodies (streams), rendering necessary the pollution’s deterioration and the rehabilitation of the area, given the significant risk of an overall environmental degradation.

Environment: In this study we evaluated the results of field surveys and of chemical analysis for a comprehensive assessment of the possible impacts in all environmental factors (soil, water, ecosystems) due to the leak of fossil fuels. Additionally, we implemented the most appropriate rehabilitation management methods for the integrated restoration of the contaminated soils and the landscaping of the area.

Subject: Restoration of polluted areas | Partner: Greek public body | Investment Category: Environmental management | Project area: Municipality of Southern Pilio

Portfolio

EΙA for mining and metallurgical activities

Many of our company’s partners participated in this study, providing integrated services -through their scientific experience and knowledge- as environmental consultants. The main target was to achieve a comprehensive approach in the environmental management of a private mining company, active in the fields of mining and metal processing activities. Additionally, our partners participated in proposing mitigation measures for the possible environmental impacts due to the development and operation of these activities, as well as proposing environmental terms to be implemented in the Environmental Terms Approval Decision and to facilitate in the environmental permitting of the overall project.

Environment: Our company’s partners participated in the extensive research, analysis and description of the potential impacts due to the development of mining installations and the operational phase of metal processing activities. Our participation was significant to the identification, protection and management of water resources, protected areas and habitats, important species of fauna and flora, as well as of soil factors and geological formations. Finally, we participated in the proposal of mitigation measures and environmental terms, for all the environmental factors relevant to our responsibilities.

Competitiveness: Our participation was significant in the Approval Decision of Environmental Terms for the mining and metal processing activities that contribute to the country’s development policy, contributing to the development and uplift of national economy.

Subject: Environment permitting services for mining and metal processing activities | Partner: Private mining company | Investment Category: Private investment of national importance | Project area: Municipality of Aristotle)

Portfolio

Environmental policy services for food industry

The purpose of the services was the provision of supporting services for the relevant industrial activities environmental permitting. Within this study we monitored the capacity of the industry’s individual units, as well as the overall industrial activities and operations, aiming to classify the industry under the current legislation.

Environment: Our responsibilities were to provide the licensing authority with all the necessary information for the actions to be done, due to the modifications of the enterprise facilities and overall activities. The study has been prepared in accordance with the environmental permitting legislation for industries and included all the Standard Environmental Obligations. Furthermore, we evaluated the overall industrys’ environmental management obligations according to the European and national legal framework, which come from the capacity of the individual sectors and the activities taking place. Finally, we exploited all the available information in order to assess the overall environmental footprint of the industry.

Subject project: Environmental permitting | Partner: Industry enterprise | Investment Category: Food Industry

Portfolio

Environmental Impact Assessment for road network

In this study, our partners provided consulting services for the environmental permitting of a road axis of regional scale. Specifically, we participated in the amendment of the existing Environmental Terms Approval Decision of the linear transportation project, both for modifications to the initial plan and for the accompanying facilities that were necessary for the project’s implementation.

Environment: In this environmental permitting study, we assessed and evaluated all the potential environmental impacts coming as a result of the technical modifications in the axis road initial design. We elaborated a comprehensive analysis and assessment to the intensity and significance of all the potential environmental impacts, concerning all natural and anthropogenic factors, for the construction and operational phases of both the axis road and its supplementary facilities.

Subject: Renewal of environmental permitting for a public road axis construction project | Partner: Private technical company | Investment Category: Public transportation

Portfolio

The role of ecological corridors in reconnecting fragmented habitats

The research conducted by our company’s partners, involved in the theoretical approach of ecological corridors, studying concepts like species’ dispersion and its correlation with ecological corridors, mapping of fragmentation issues, either for geographically vulnerable areas (e.g. islands) or for areas with different characteristics (forested, urban, etc.), and the benefits of ecological corridors concerning the type of existing habitats and the profile of the species using them.

The basic functional principles of ecological corridors and their type and size, formed the basis for the analytical approach of experimental methods globally applied, by using statistics and indicators that capture the problem of connectivity and lead to possible addressing solutions.

Environment: Our partners have conducted a research in order to imprint the current problem of connectivity loss between fragmented habitats. The significant deterioration that is variously reflected in natural environment has strongly influenced habitats’ connectivity, in the sense of preventing free communication of fauna and flora among them. Based on the survey of major fragmentation problems, valuable conclusions were exported about the behavior pattern of different species, for which the habitats are essential for their welfare. At the same time, many of the management methods to address the fragmentation problem were studied and evaluated. Therefore, we have gained considerable experience in the context of integrated and effective management of fragmented areas, which is the cornerstone for an integrated environmental and ecosystem protection.

Blog

Impact of air pollution on vegetation

According to the legislative framework of the EU, critical pollutant levels (EQS) and tolerance levels have been determined for the protection of vegetation. In addition, according to Greek and international literature, the impact of the air pollutants on vegetation is important and harmful, given that Particulate Matter (PM) or chemical compounds emitted during the construction or operation phase of an activity are entering the plants stomas.

In general prolonged exposure to air pollutant emissions leads to premature aging and breaking of leaves, while continuous exposure of the canopy leaves to -not so- high concentrations causes chronic leaf damage, such as e.g. chlorosis and extensive leaf breaking. On the other hand, continuous exposure to high concentrations of air pollutants may lead to necrosis of the leaf (necrosis of brown and black-brown colour) and smudging.

In Green2Sustain we can estimate the probability, the degradation intensity, by the exposure of various groups of flora species to different pollutant emission patterns (doses). Given that impacts may be different to certain species like coniferous or broad-leaved species and the like, an analytical assessment is usually needed to understand the impacts and define the proper protective or mitigation measures and monitoring.

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Sustainable Development 2015-2030

In the past 15 years 2000-2015, the prevailing development strategy was based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), established by the UN. The focus has been on: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability and forming a global partnership for development.

Nowadays, the UN are working on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which, as J. Sachs puts it, “will continue the fight against extreme poverty, but also add the challenges of ensuring more equitable economic growth and environmental sustainability, especially the key goal of curbing the dangers of human-induced climate change”.

The main focus for the 15 years will be on: population increase (reaching 8 billion by 2020); inequality in the income distribution; threats to the environment by the world economy growth.

The interactions that will be explored will be among 
– world economy – global society – physical environment – 
and “SDGs call for socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic growth”.

The novel thing of the SDGs is that the abovementioned triptych is combined with “good governance”, which in turn includes functioning of governments and large enterprises (social actors). Therefore, business takes an important position in the lives of the people on the planet, equivalent to that of the governments. 

The important thing is that the adoption of SDGs will take place at UN HQ in New York, September 2015. The rest remains to be seen.