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On October 29 and 30, 2020 at the Lomonosov Moscow State University scientific and practical forum was held to promote the principles of a green economy (Moscow Green Economy Forum 2020). The forum was organized by the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics of Moscow State University with the Ministry of Higher Education of the Russian Federation. The forum was attended by over 300 people, including foreign experts from India, China, Turkey, Australia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
On the first day of the forum, three sections functioned.
1. About the international experience of implementing the principles of "green" economy in industrialized countries
Within the framework of the section, the participants have discussed successful strategies, tools and mechanisms for achieving the sustainable development goals implemented and proposed by the UN. This, according to the experts, let to China being able to turn a resources bases economy into a sustainable one back to 2019 in a short period of time thanks to its active state implementation of the so-called green norms. The same way the European Commission adopted the global Green Deal initiative, which envisages the formation of a carbon neutrality space in the EU by 2050. Attempts to introduce economic instruments into carbon regulation were also named successful. Over 40 countries of the world, including China and Kazakhstan, have now carbonregulators.
The experts expressed the view that, globally, a green economy can provide the same growth and employment as a brown economy and surpass it in the medium and long term, while providing more environmental and social benefits.
The transition to a green economy requires a concerted effort by the leaders of a country, civil society and leading companies. Experts assessed the current crisis as an opportunity to move towards greener regulation. In their opinion, Russia should quit the strategy of supporting the traditional economy and traditional measures during the crisis and rely on sustainable initiatives. Recommendations for turning the Russian economy green also included a smooth transition to sustainable development through a new concept that requires active government intervention, the creation of a government regulatory regime useful for the development of green industries, as well as serious infrastructure development.
2. About the role of digitalization in achieving sustainable development goals and developing the principles of a green economy
During the section, experts discussed how digital technologies can contribute to greening the economy and the country as a whole. In the global economy, according to the forum participants, two new (if not the latest) trends have recently been traced: the interdependence of all production processes (including the digital sector), as well as the emergence of awareness among the population and a decrease in consumption. This combination well describes the relevance of the role of digitalization in the process of "greening" the economy and sustainable development. Among the technologies most used today in this area, experts identified the following: big data and predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, new manufacturing technologies, robotics and sensor components, blockchain and the Internet of things. For example, IoT sensors are used to monitor water temperature, carbon dioxide content in water at various parts of the Great Barrier Reef.
Special attention was paid to the topic of using digital platforms to minimize waste. International recycling models have recently been characterized by a widespread use of the term “circular economy”. The way large organizations (for example, OECD, McKinsey) disclose this term, and their vision of a more sustainable recycling process, are associated precisely with the introduction of digital platforms. The above organizations highlight sharing as a separate option to save resources and minimize waste, and also note the importance of optimizing planning and processes in this area.
3. About state regulation of issues of the green economy in Russia
The section was devoted to the discussion of existing national practices for regulating the green economy and topical issues of its further improvement. The speakers of the forum highlighted the problematic issues of state regulation, including the compliance of environmental and social standards of the green economy with the provisions of international standards, as well as regulatory and standardization of the mechanisms of green financing. In particular, the experts considered “green” bonds as a tool to finance the transition of global and national economies to a low-carbon, climate-resilient path of development and pointed out the need for a long-term policy to support this market.
The interrelation between economic security and the green economy was noted separately. An important goal, in the opinion of the forum participants, is the creation of management institutions and organizations capable of rethinking the perception of green technologies not from the standpoint of a threat to the resource-based economy, but as an opportunity to ensure economic security through the development of green entrepreneurship and stimulate investments in Energy Saving Technologies. Experts suggest that the use of green economy mechanisms will contribute to the balance of the sectoral structure of Russian territories, the formation of modern professional skills and competencies, as well as the transition to green growth, which, among other things, will minimize the risks and threats of sanction restrictions and ensure the required level economic security. According to the speakers, the prospects for a green economy can only be linked to a strong state that relies on long-term planning for sustainable development.
On the second day of the forum, two sections took place.
1. About the application of the principles of "green" economy in entrepreneurship and business
The section experts considered the complicated problem of green business development. The speakers noted that the importance of creating a positive environmental image of business in Russia should not be underestimated, and confirmed the close relationship of green business issues with the topics of other sections of the forum: education, innovative technologies, government regulation. Business that uses environmentally friendly and energy-saving technologies and approaches in its activities is predominantly more competitive now. In particular, there are indicators united by the abbreviation ESG (environmental, social, governance) and characterizing companies that conduct a socially oriented business, are distinguished by high-quality corporate governance and care for the environment.
Several experts noted that the high expectations of external stakeholders (investors, regulators, local communities, banks, partners, counterparties, etc.) from the company contribute to its "green" development. The forum participants also discussed the problem of comparing the environmental management system (EMS) and legislative norms in Russia.
Reflecting on economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic, the forum participants predicted that the world will no longer be the same, and a new spiral of economic development will combine completely new attributes of the economic structure, where an increasingly significant role is assigned to alternative energy sources.
2. On the green economy in education and research
The experts noted that environmental education is fundamentally an interdisciplinary field and requires an integrated approach that more clearly highlights the social nature of any human activity and its consequences. It is necessary to use new forms and methods of teaching, focused on the development of appropriate skills and abilities in the younger generation. The participants of the forum considered the international experience of green education and highlighted the main problems of its development in Russia. According to experts, 73% of countries in one way or another touch upon issues of sustainable development in education, 55% use the term “ecology” in their curricula, 47% - “environmental education”.
As part of the discussion of scientific research, the issue of measuring and evaluating green growth was raised: for example, indicators linking the state / pollution of the environment with public health in value form were named as promising integral indicators. The importance of scientific research in the field of green economy on a national scale was noted on the example of the Kyrgyz Republic. Forum experts agreed that the development of a "green" economy is not only due to technological, economic, but also socio-cultural and scientific factors, and expressed a desire to continue working together to advance the goals of sustainable development and the green economy.
On the first and second days of the forum, plenary sessions were also held to discuss the projects of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia under the Federal Target Program "Research and Development in Priority Areas of Development of the Scientific and Technological Complex of Russia for 2014-2020".
The participants presented their developments within the framework of this program, noting the growth of the potential of energy and technological projects. The indicators cited by the speakers indicate an increase in the interest of the population in alternative energy sources, infrastructure and mechanisms for the functioning of smart cities, as well as innovative scientific methods to support the environment in general.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
