“Green light” for environmentally neutral business development from Lisbon to Vladivostok. European and Eurasian experts discussed joint approaches on key issues addressed in the European Green Deal and EAEU initiatives
On March 3, 2021, the first meeting of the GreenDeal Task Force created under the Initiative Lisbon-Vladivostok was held. In the videoconference format, more than twenty authoritative experts in the field of ecology and business from Austria, Armenia, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, France, as well as the representatives of the largest business industry associations supporting the Initiative Lisbon-Vladivostok, discussed common approaches to harmonizing the activities implemented by the EU and the EAEU on the path to sustainable development, including a radical reduction in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere by 2050. The leaders of the Task Force “GreenDeal” Johannes Mayer (Environment Agency Austria) and Ernesto Ferlenghi (Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Association of European Businesses) presented an overview of issues addressed by EU and EAEU companies on the way to sustainable development and environmental neutrality. Mr. Mayer said: “The European Green Deal transforms the EU’s economy for a sustainable future, promoting clean and efficient energy, assuring a healthy environment, with technologically smart and socially fair transitions to a decarbonized economy”. According to Mr. Ferlenghi, it is important to keep the focus on the business goal of reducing environmental pollution: “All countries should monitor emissions. This is a challenging task, but necessary to achieve environmental neutrality. The business must start doing it”. Ulf Schneider, the Chairman of the Board of the Initiative Lisbon-Vladivostok underlined: “Our initiative to create a common economic space was supported by companies that feel their responsibility for the planet. The Green Deal is a door opener to start a discussion between the EU and the EAEU”. Experts from such organizations as the Eurasian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, AIFC Green Finance Centre, Severstal, WILO, Rehau, Schneider Electric, and other shared their views and visions on the Green Deal, as well as practical examples of company achievements. The experts noted the existence of common challenges in achieving environmental neutrality, highlighted possible areas of cooperation between the EU and the EAEU, and also outlined the main directions for inclusion in the position paper.
The presentation of the position paper of the Task Force “GreenDeal” is planned at the conference within the framework of the Initiative Lisbon-Vladivostok, which will be held in Lisbon in June 2021.
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About the Initiative Lisbon-Vladivostok:
In 2015, an initiative was born in European business circles to promote the idea of creating a single economic space on the territory of the European Union (the EU) and the Eurasian Economic Union (the EAEU) – the business Initiative Lisbon-Vladivostok. The foundation of the Initiative is the need of the business community for economic integration and expansion of economic interaction in the Eurasian space. The Initiative already brings together more than 100 companies, as well as major business associations from 12 EU and EAEU member states. In 2020, the Initiative received its organizational design in the shape of working bodies: the board and a number of expert working groups in specific areas. Events dedicated to the popularization and further promotion of the Initiative are held on a regular basis. The participants in the events held within the framework of the Initiative are business leaders and owners, officials, and authoritative members of the expert community.
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The Astana International Financial Centra was created by the initiative of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Leader of the Nation, Nur-Sultan Nazarbayev as part of the “100 steps to implement five institutional reforms” national program. The Centre’s development strategy until 2025 was approved by the Management council of the AIFC during the council’s meeting on July 2, 2020. In accordance with the strategy, the vision of AIFC is in becoming the leading financial centre in the region that includes Central Asia, the Caucasus, EAEU countries, western China, Mongolia, and Eastern Europe.
The mission of the AIFC is in assisting the sustainable and long term development of the region. As the head of state Tokayev noted, “AIFC, with its unique opportunities, can act as a universal platform that connects the countries in the region.”
The strategic directions for the sustainable development of the AIFC include the development of a circular economy, financial technologies, and “digital financial centre.” https://aifc.kz/
