Rural development in the context of the European Green Deal, 2nd edition

Biodiversity loss is an ever-present threat to economic and social development. Human population mobility, deforestation, habitat fragmentation, climate change, irrational, unsustainable, environmentally unfriendly consumption are some of the current challenges that influence biodiversity. According to the World Economic Forum, almost half of global GDP depends on the natural environment and its resources. The largest sectors of the economy (construction, agriculture, food and beverage) are very dependent on nature and together generate almost 20% of the global economy. In this context, the European Green Deal aims to put the EU on the path to a green transition, with the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and highlights the need for a holistic and cross-sectoral approach across all EU policy areas.

The scientific event to which we invite you has as its main objective the highlighting of the importance and the relationship of biodiversity with the economic environment. We refer to the identification and use of tools and models through which companies can integrate biodiversity into their activities and to be aware of the emergence of competitive advantages that its conservation can bring. At least six sectors of activity can integrate (priority) these advantages: agriculture, the food industry, forestry, extractive industries, the financial sector and tourism, located both in rural and urban areas.

The debate will also be oriented towards the interconnectivity between biodiversity and the other areas of community policy included in the European Green Deal: climate, environment, energy, transport, industrial sector, agriculture and financing of sustainable investments, given that all these directions require regulation and action from national, regional and local authorities, both for rural and urban areas.

Representatives from academia, universities, public administration and the business community are invited to the meeting to debate theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of integrating biodiversity into current sustainable development policies.