The European Commission has engaged Human Dynamics to help enhance the capacity of Belarus to deliver green economic concepts, and thereby assist the Government of Belarus in adjusting its economy to face current challenges. Specifically, this project seeks to promote green economy in Belarus through support to decision-makers and planners in preparing, adopting and implementing green economy policies and mechanisms.
The "green economy" concept refers to a model of achieving economic growth and social development without exerting excessive pressure on natural resources or increasing pollution levels. This concept envisions transformation of current market and institutional mechanisms into effective instruments for achieving sustainable development. A green economy covers all stages of economic activities — from sourcing, production, distribution and utilisation, to end-of-life management. This requires comprehensive integrated and coordinated development at all levels — national, regional, sectorial, enterprise.
Correspondingly, our team are working to support and strengthen the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection in developing and implementing green economy mechanisms — for example, through reviewing relevant EU and Belarus legislation in green procurement, eco labelling, organic farming, habitat banking, and biodiversity conservation. The project is also assisting in elaborating the programme of actions for reduction of pollutant emissions covered by the Gothenburg Protocol.
As a whole, the project will work to enhance cooperation between the EU and Belarus.
We believe that the policy towards ‘the greening’ is an important factor that could stimulate the development of national economies in a period of global economic crisis, and that could ensure sales markets. There is a need to assimilate the sustainable patterns of production and consumption, the practice of ‘green’ purchases.
Green growth is not a replacement for sustainable development. Rather, it provides a practical and flexible approach for achieving concrete, measurable progress across its economic and environmental pillars, while taking full account of the social consequences of greening the growth dynamic of economies. The focus of green growth strategies is ensuring that natural assets can deliver their full economic potential on a sustainable basis.