Tourism Enterprises and the Sustainability Agenda Across Europe by
With the emphasis on small enterprises, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of what is happening across Europe in terms of sustainable development objectives and sustainability in the context of tourism supply. Each contribution in this edited collection addresses specific aspects of tourism enterprise activity within the overall context of policy and practice aimed at improving environmental performance. Well-informed and based on current research this book is informative and invaluable to any one studying tourism and hospitality today.
Sustainability Reporting in Central and Eastern European Companies by
This collection of expert articles highlights the standards and practices concerning sustainability reporting among companies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Due to the growing interest in corporate social responsibility issues, sustainability reporting has become increasingly common among businesses that claim to adhere to certain social, environmental and economic standards. While it can be observed that sustainability reporting is widely practiced in Western and Northern European countries, only few studies have been conducted on this topic in the CEE region. Drawing on a major empirical study involving researchers from 10 different CEE countries, this book addresses the status quo of sustainability reporting, outlines future prospects and provides essential recommendations for practitioners.
The Rise of Green Finance in Europe by
This book offers a comprehensive discussion of how green finance has been growing thus far and explores the opportunities and key developments ahead, with particular emphasis on Europe. The main features of the market, the key products, the issue of correctly defining green finance, the main policy actions undertaken, the risk of green washing and the necessary steps to mainstream green finance are discussed in depth. In addition, the book analyses some highly relevant aspects of the market that so far have not been sufficiently explored in the policy, industry and academic debate. This includes the potential role of digitalisation and blockchain in fostering green finance, the crucial role of the effective financing of the agriculture to reach climate and environmental targets and the possible relationship between sustainable finance and other forms of "alternative" finance. This book will be of interest to academics, practitioners, financial institutions and policy makers involved in green finance and to the finance industry in general.
EU Bioeconomy Economics and Policies: Volume I by
This two-volume book provides an important overview to EU economic and policy issues related to the development of the bioeconomy. What have been the recent trends and what are the implications for future economic development and policy making? Where does EU bioeconomy policy sit within an international context and what are the financial frameworks behind them? Volume I explores the economic theory of bioeconomy policy, as well as European integration, European agriculture, EU budget and future developments in EU agriculture policies.
Greening EU Competition Law and Policy by
One of the fundamental challenges currently facing the EU is that of reconciling its economic and environmental policies. Nevertheless, the role of environmental protection in EU competition law and policy has often been overlooked. Recent years have witnessed a shift in environmental regulation from reliance on command and control to an increased use of market-based environmental policy instruments such as environmental taxes, green subsidies, emissions trading and the encouragement of voluntary corporate green initiatives. By bringing the market into environmental policy, such instruments raise a host of issues that competition law must address. This interdisciplinary treatment of the interaction between these key EU policy areas challenges the view that EU competition policy is a special case, insulated from environmental concerns by the overriding efficiency imperative, and puts forward practical proposals for achieving genuine integration.
Emerging Governance of a Green Economy by
The idea of building an economy which supports sustainable development without degrading the environment has been widely debated and broadly embraced by politicians, civil servants, the media, academics and the public alike for several decades. This book explores the measures being trialled at various levels of governance in the European region to reduce the adverse impacts of human behaviour on the environment whilst simultaneously addressing society's economic and social needs as part of the intended shift towards a 'green' economy. It includes European case studies that scrutinise the efforts being undertaken at sub-national, national and regional tiers of governance to facilitate the transition to a low carbon economy. This book will be of interest to graduate students, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers working in environmental governance, European studies, environmental studies, political science, and management studies.
Corporate Responses to EU Emissions Trading by
The European Union (EU) aims to put Europe on track toward a low-carbon economy. In this striking challenge, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has been singled out as the Union's key climate policy instrument, ultimately aimed as a model for a global carbon market. The learning effect of the EU ETS could thus be tremendous. This study explores how the EU ETS actually works on the ground, affecting corporate climate strategies. It covers general sector responses as well as systematic comparative studies of companies across the sectors. The latter enables improved understanding of causal effects and the role of interaction between different policy instruments and other factors that impact corporate climate strategies. The study explores a broad set of mechanisms at play potentially linking the EU ETS to company climate strategies. These include how corporate norms of responsibility are affected by the EU ETS and how economic incentives provide opportunities for innovation. The book's main contribution lies in its systematic examination of corporate responses to the EU ETS from a broad empirical and analytical social science perspective covering companies in all main EU ETS sectors: electric power, oil, cement, steel and pulp and paper.
As consumers become more aware of the negative impacts of climate change, many are making more social conscious decisions to buy more sustainable and eco-friendly products and services. Because of this, many businesses have made an effort to provide products that supports green consumerism.
Greenwashing is a term that describes the action of businesses misleading or using deceptive practices to seem more environmental conscious than they truly are. This can mislead customers into purchasing items or services that are not environmentally friendly.
Did you know?
A commission study from the EU in 2020 found that 53.3% of the environmental claims from companies examined were vague, misleading or unfounded, and 40% were completely unsubstantiated
Corporate sustainability due diligence
On February 23, 2022, the EU adopted a proposal for a Directive to increase a company's due diligence on sustainability. The Directive highlights the need for corporations to include human rights and environmental considerations into their operations and corporate governance.
Combatting Green Claims
On March 22, 2023, the EU proposed a Directive on Green Claims in order to protect consumers from false claims and the environment. The proposal aims to:
Some key measures the proposal includes is:
How Green Are Your Finances?
It is important to know how your money is being used when you put it in a bank or invest it. The EU has compiled a list of resources consumers can use to know more about how their money is being used by banks and big corporations.
https://ec.europa.eu/green-finances/index_en.html
On January 5th, 2023 the EU put into force the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive which states that companies have to report on their social and environmental impact. This Directive will provide more transparency about the impact companies have on the environment and provide information to investors and other stakeholders on climate change and sustainability issues to be able to asses investment risk
The CSRD also makes it mandatory for companies to have an audit of the sustainability information that they report. In addition, it provides for the digitalization of sustainability information.
EU Taxonomy
It is critical for the EU to invest in sustainable projects to meet the climate and energy targets by 2030 that are set out in the Green Deal. Investing in sustainable projects is important in order to make the economies, businesses, and societies more resilient against climate and environmental shocks.
To have a universal definition on what sustainable is, the EU has created the EU Taxonomy which is a classification system with a list of environmentally sustainable economic activities. This system will help companies, policy makers, and investors distinguish economic activities that are environmentally sustainable.
There are six environmental objectives in the Taxonomy Regulation:
Top 10 sustainable companies in Europe - Provides a lists the top 10 sustainable companies in Europe, based on the 2020 Corporate Knights Global 100 Index. The companies are recognized for their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, as well as their commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility
Green Product Companies in Europe - Provides a lists companies in Europe that offer "green products" or products that are environmentally friendly. These companies offer a wide range of products and services, including renewable energy, sustainable transportation, green building materials, and eco-friendly consumer products.
The EU Green Deal – How will it impact my business? - This article highlights that the EU Green Deal will have significant implications for businesses in a range of sectors, including energy, agriculture, transport, and manufacturing
Green Driving Tool - The Green Driving project, which is a research initiative by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) to promote eco-friendly driving practices and reduce the environmental impact of transportation.
