TURKEY – The earthquake death toll in Syria, which climbs to over 41,000 at the beginning of 2023, proved once again that nature is almighty and that people are always sounding the alarm to do better. Establishing harmony with nature is a trumpet call, and any insult to frequent disasters and climate change will have to be paid dearly by present and future generations. Discussions about the various disasters are lively and newer development philosophies are evolving fairly quickly. Buzzwords such as green economy, sustainable development etc. have long been ubiquitous, but their realization at ground zero is far from being achieved. Reduction, reuse and recycling are needed for the framework to achieve cross-industry synergies for the least negative environmental impact. Minimizing waste generation and input is one of the few goals in the process of strategic planning for sustainable development. Waste recovery and its degeneration are equally important issues that serve as motivators for resorting to green technology, which eventually seep into the green economy. The unprecedented COVID public health and economic crisis has shaken the entire civilization, which still cannot recover with full enthusiasm and vigour. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand that all human initiatives must culminate in a nature-friendly format to ensure a happy life on this planet. No doubt there are global concerns about transforming the existing economy into a green economy, but much remains to be done for their worthy contribution.
Under these circumstances, it becomes inevitable to examine the sectors that contribute to the green economy, such as environment, health, energy and economy themselves, to orient them towards low carbon footprint, efficient use of resources and social inclusion. Agricultural practices, industrial practices, and livelihood practices should be reorganized to remove the resulting adversity.
Organic food is a potential accelerator for eco-friendly practices as it refers to agricultural products produced without the use of chemically engineered pesticides and fertilizer, growth aids, feed additives etc. It is obvious that organic farming has been gaining in importance for quite some time. But insufficient knowledge about organic production, lower yield, insufficient resources and supporting infrastructure discourage such nature-friendly agricultural practices. Given the right conditions, such as aggressive environmental propagation, legislation, incentives for eco-innovation and supportive bureaucratic practices, organic farming will create green jobs and green competitiveness. Special attention should be paid to geographically targeted crops, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, herbs, spices, food processing, etc., for coordinated organic production that can contribute to both community well-being and environmental protection. Increasing health problems and a large number of such concerns stemming from diet and lifestyle disorders are opening up the possibilities of moving to organic food and living close to nature. Educating the masses about the factors responsible for health concerns will advance the organic food market. However, it requires connecting organic food producers and their sellers with consumers through a proper supply chain with optimal transportation costs.
There are also enormous opportunities for the use of biomass and biogas to meet energy needs, which require meaningful know-how transfer, financial support and incentives for green entrepreneurship. According to statista.com, e-waste production is around 7 kg per capita, which adds up to around 50 million tons of e-waste per year. This mainly includes electric lights, small IT and telecom equipment, display screens, temperature exchange equipment, large appliances and small appliances such as microwave ovens, kettles, etc. The recovery of materials used in e-appliances is another important sector to look for, according to encouraging policy Interventions require recycling of waste.
Due to aggressive urbanization, rural tourism involving rural masses can be used to enrich the agricultural economy provided road infrastructure and electricity availability are secured. Shifting the type of stay accommodation from hotels that use energy-intensive equipment for comfortable living to natural stays in homes away from home, community waste management, production and use of biodegradable products, etc. can help reduce the carbon footprint of tourism to reduce .
Infrastructure creation is another important sector with tremendous opportunities to tap into eco-friendly green processes and products. Natural lighting, ventilation, vegetation, afforestation, water recycling, water waste reduction, waste recycling, green labeling of infrastructure and products, etc. are the key initiatives that can promote a green economy. Effective enforcement of green manufacturing practices and promoting them through specific concessions and certifications are equally necessary to create a holistic ecosystem that fosters a green economy.
Ongoing technological improvements are clearly having a negative impact on the environment, and climate change is a visible after-effect. Shifting the focus from fossil energy sources to renewable energy sources can prevent further damage, but requires adequate financial support and a congenial policy framework to attract energy producers to renewable energy. The global push towards electric vehicle use is projected to reduce the carbon footprint, but the constant use of batteries and electricity puts the complete greenness in question. Full substitution of internal combustion engine vehicles with current electric vehicle technology seems somewhat difficult. There are two distinct schools of experts that argue for both based on their carbon contributions and related factors. Some time ago, the development and applications of fuel cells paved the way for clean energy hopes, fueled by hydrogen-powered power generation. India’s leading initiative to establish a National Hydrogen Mission in 2021 is driving the scientific community and policymakers to enable hydrogen-powered transportation and energy availability through the necessary regulations and developments. Hydrogen has the ability to reduce CO2 emissions and increase the share of renewable energy.
Certainly, the green economy is a potential savior from man-made disasters. The focus should be on developing public policies and strategies based on environmental impact assessment and supporting a green economy and a low carbon footprint. At the same time, financial institutions will lead the transformation of the existing economy into a green economy through the allocation of financial resources and the development of green financing regulations. Educating citizens about the impact of ongoing technological advances that challenge the environment and ecology, as well as the relevance and need for knowledge about a green economy will speed up the implementation of policies in this regard. Involving entrepreneurs in implementing green practices in their companies requires special support and concessions as they face greater risks than established companies that can easily afford to transform into green companies. The multifaceted approach of green economy, sustainable consumption and production as well as efficient use of resources is the key to a safe and happy future.
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