KA210 | KA122

Efforts to make human activities more sustainable for the planet go back decades, with an important and fundamental first step taken at the international level during the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. The Stockholm Conference is the first major UN conference on international environmental issues and marks a turning point in the development of international environmental policy. Since that time, Europe has been the leading advocate in trying to combine scientific and technological progress with the need to preserve natural resources, biodiversity and, in particular, the fight against climate change. This path, on an international and European level, has not always been easy, with major world powers repeatedly obstructing the decisions and pacts signed. Nevertheless, the urgency of taking action against climate change is now clear to all. On this challenging path, the EU took a decisive step in December 2019 with the adoption of the Green Deal and, subsequently, the approval of the Climate Policy in October 2020 by the European Parliament (and its definitive adoption in June 2021), which includes proposing that the EU and all member states reach climate neutrality by 2050. It also sets a more ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target of 60%.

The European Green Deal is a strategic set of initiatives that aims to put the EU on the path to a green transition, with the ultimate goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. It supports the transformation of the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern, competitive economy. The Green Deal aims at allowing the targets to be more easily applied to legislation and should create benefits such as cleaner air, water and soil; reduced energy bill; renovated homes; better public transport and more charging stations for e-cars; less waste; healthier food and better health for current and future generations. Moreover, there will be specific policies targeting businesses and families, as well as creating new job opportunities.

Needless to say, the entrepreneurial sector must also quickly adapt to the new environmental requirements and, indeed, one of the objectives of the Green Deal concerns the industrial sector. In rural areas, however, there is not always enough information or training opportunities. This is why the project wants to accompany small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas in a training programme on Green Deal objectives and good sustainability practices.