Environmental issues have rightfully dominated the world agenda for the past several years. While individual measures contribute towards reducing negative human impact on the environment, it is crucial to have key players in the public and private sectors working together to maximise results. All businesses should be directing their actions towards a common goal: reducing CO2 emissions, strengthening climate change resilience and supporting sustainable development.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA) has identified that the most significant negative impact on the environment stems from the transport, construction, and industrial sectors. Consequently, the government of Georgia has been focusing its efforts on devising policies, laws and strategies that promote environmentally conscious practices in these sectors. One of these laws, the Law on Environmental Liability, has recently been approved by parliament. Forming an important legal basis, this law is a huge step for Georgia in the development of its green economy.
Effective immediately, all businesses must operate keeping the new legislation in mind. According to the Law on Environmental Liability, businesses are required to accumulate financial reserves for the purpose of covering any damage to the environment caused by their business activities. In some cases, sanctions may also be criminal in nature and lead to imprisonment. The new law rests on the principle of “the polluter pays”, which implies that businesses that have a negative impact on the environment must financially compensate the damage they commit.
So what can businesses do to avoid unnecessary fines? While behavioural and cognitive changes might require awareness raising measures, time, and a conscious effort to better oneself, there are concrete steps that any business can take to start improving their operations. In some cases, this might be as easy as replacing filters on machinery to reduce air pollution. In other cases, replacing outdated machinery with newer, more energy and resource efficient models could be a solution. As the recent case of a road construction company illustrates, investing in a new asphalt production plant has allowed the company to increase their production by 55%, all the while decreasing their energy use and saving EUR 10,000 in energy costs each year. Although the amount needed to make an investment in modern technology could be high, the long-term benefits outweigh the initial costs, especially in light of the adoption of new environmental laws.
The good news is that technological upgrades of this kind are not only available for heavy production companies, but for every industry. For instance, a business operating in the agricultural sector, can invest in drip irrigation systems that offer 90% effectiveness compared to traditional irrigation methods. In addition, these systems help companies save water resources and enable them to use fewer fertilisers and pesticides that are potentially harmful to the environment and contribute to soil erosion. The GEFF’s Green Technology Selector offers a wide range of technologies suitable for any business’s needs.
Further, the government of Georgia plans to enhance the environmental laws in the country by implementing city-wide standards that contribute to sustainable urban development and environmental protection.
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