ACT CLEAN aims at promoting environmentally friendly technologies and activities in order to ensure eco-efficient production processes in SMEs.
Environmental EC Directives set requirements in order to ensure the eco-efficiency of the production process but many SMEs in Central Europe (CE) struggle/fail to respond to them. They don’t have access to the existing technological or managerial solutions developed in other parts of CE. In the understanding that a sustainable natural resource management in times of globalisation cannot be addressed by one country alone ACT CLEAN has identified for CE the following challenges:
SMEs need to get access to environmentally friendly technologies and activities in order to comply with current & future EC Directives; There is a lack of links between demand and supply of environmentally friendly technologies and know-how; Existing technology & know-how must be demonstrated and deployed; Identification and exchange of SME support tools for cleaner production (CP); A joint policy approach (consistent measures and incentives)
ACT CLEAN is tackling these challenges from 2 sides: i) It will enable SMEs to comply with existing or imminent requirements by focusing on few, selected EC directives, that are core for the project stakeholders in CE. This will comprise the elaboration of a joint toolbox as well as direct support to SMEs. ii) It will push the application of existing environmentally friendly technologies and activities from CE by identifying the most relevant ones and demonstrating SMEs their economic and environmental value and support their deployment. Within the project duration already ACT CLEAN will reach more than 2500 SMEs throughout CE. It will contribute to the reduction of CO2 emission, increased efficiency in the use of material, reduced energy consumption and reduced dependency on fossil energy resources. It will induce investment in SMEs that apply new solutions for their needs worth several €m, while SMEs in CE that supply outstanding know-how & technology increase their competitiveness.
ACT CLEAN will connect 200 outstanding institutions in the field of CP in CE and will assemble over 1000 best practice examples in a database on environmentally friendly technologies & activities. It will elaborate and test a consistent transnational action plan for enhancing eco-efficient production in CE involving all 8 Ministries of Environment (MoE) in CE.
The achievement of outputs and results is secured by a unique partner structure: Originally initiated by the German Federal MoE, for ACT CLEAN the expert institutions in CP in all 8 countries in CE have partnered up. While having the same aim the PPs have different backgrounds and thus can exchange complementary expertise. ACT CLEAN applies a holistic approach integrating public and private interests. The direct involvement of 5 of the 8 MoE and the UNIDO ensures the durability and the impact of the outputs & results achieved by ACT CLEAN.
For further informations about the project please visit:
www.act-clean.eu
This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co-financed by the ERDF.
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