The Green Restart Coalition has published a special report with over 150 concrete recommendations for reforms and initiatives through which Bulgaria can leapfrog its development and become one of the green and innovative leaders in Europe. The “Mission Green Bulgaria” report is based on ideas shared by over 50 of Bulgaria's leading experts in the fields of the innovation economy and science, energy transition, bioeconomy, and biomass, nature-based solutions, circular economy, and sustainable finance. “Mission Green Bulgaria” is another initiative of the MOVE.BG-initiated Green Restart Coalition which also includes WWF Bulgaria, “Greenpeace”-Bulgaria, and the Institute for Circular Economy.
Why is “Mission Green Bulgaria” needed?
The Bulgarian economy continues to be the most energy and resource intensive in the European Union, Bulgaria together with Poland, Turkey and Bosnia is among the countries with the highest levels of air pollution in Europe, according to the latest report of the European Environment Agency, the country ranks 26th in the penetration of digital technologies in business and society (DESI 2021 index), as well as the penultimate in innovation potential in the EU, according to the EC Innovation Scoreboard.
However, Bulgaria can become a green, digital and innovative leader if it takes immediate measures to green and digitally transform its economy and society. That is why in June the Green Restart Coalition brought together 54 of Bulgaria's leading experts in a special event for generating sustainable development ideas, and a month later presents its results in the “Mission Green Bulgaria” Report.
"The economy of the future is green and digital; our quality of life in the years ahead depends on protecting and restoring our natural systems.
We see it as our mission to work for this future. A mission that is possible with the combined efforts of scientists, innovative businesses, environmentalists, and government.
We have brought them together to comment on the best ways to develop Bulgaria as a country with a modern economy and preserved nature," said Sasha Bezuhanova, initiator of the Green Restart Coalition and founder of MOVE.BG.
The experts' recommendations
The report consists of over 150 identified challenges and over 150 specific recommendations to address them. The ideas are grouped into six thematic clusters.
Some of the 150 recommendations include:
- Mission Green Innovation - establishment of a Green Innovation Fund for supporting early-stage startups (pre-seed, seed); creation of a specialized training program for the European Innovation Council (EIC) calls, e.g. EIC Masterclass, so that Bulgarian entrepreneurs can be practically supported for the process of applying to the EIC;
- Mission Energy Independence - transposition of the Renewable Energy Directive as a priority; adoption of clear definitions of energy community and energy self-sufficiency producer at legal and regulatory level;
- Mission Bioeconomy - addressing key challenges and opportunities for Bulgaria under two of the European Union's key reform packages - Fit for 55 and RePowerEU; accelerating the implementation of the Social and Climate Fund and preparing a National Social Climate Plan for Bulgaria;
- Mission Smart Cities - developing clear national targets for the development of smart cities in the country - e.g. specific targets for energy efficiency, emissions reduction, waste recycling; creating a unified system for data collection and sharing;
- Mission Nature-based solutions - the restoration of landscape spatial planning, which is not regulated in the current legislation as a type of spatial plan and as a way of implementing these plans; introduction of changes in the Spatial Planning Act to introduce regulatory requirements for nature-based solutions (including green roofs and facades) in integrated urban development plans;
- Mission Sustainable Finance - the creation of a strategy for the development of sustainable finance in Bulgaria; creation and implementation of a plan to prepare Bulgarian companies for the expansion of ESG disclosure and requirements
See all 150 identified risks and 150+recommendations to address them and make Bulgaria one of the green and innovative leaders here (in English).
Video from the Mission Green Bulgaria event is available here (in Bulgarian).
Learn more about the Green Restart Coalition here (in English).
