Narva Declration “Green and Just Transition” (editing open until 12.12.2024)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kuzghGz0wW_t2TNWlC2ynJ4MrRgx5Mfg3JQiVRSCF4s/edit?usp=sharing

The Narva declaration on “Green and Just Transition”

The city of Narva, Estonia hosted a conference on Green and Just Transition on November 28th to December 1st 2024 . Where several issues were discussed and concurred on the following declaration.

Based on the deliberations, we issue the following declaration :

  • Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to the people of the European Union and the world. The Green transition has become a central issue for EU members and requires concerted efforts and coordinated policy.
  • A greater focus needs to be on the implementation of policies which requires political commitment, expert knowhow, social participations, private sector and civil society involvement. Government needs to adopt appropriate legislation and provide the necessary financial means to insure Green and just Transition for all.
  • A special effort needs to be exerted to integrate Green and cultural activities in the tourism business model in order to empower environmentally friendly policies which will favor innovation and foster innovative and circular tourism considering the sustainability of ecosystem services using technologies and promoting the preservation of natural resources and cultural heritage. Touristic models should focus on promoting the restoration and ultimately the regenerative benefits of a sustainable and resilient model of touristic development. Local communities should be included in the planning and implementation of touristic plans in these areas through the involvement of CSOs in monitoring and securing social cohesion and innovation.
  • In order to strike the balance between development and economic needs on the one urgent to introduce a new paradigm whereby energy production levels are limited to meeting essential needs.
  • Technology can play an important role in the green transition to facilitate interactions, reduce carbon footprint and increase efficiency in public service and business relations. However, it needs a change in production, distribution and consumption habits to reach the desired result.
  • Civil society organisations and citizens at large have a vital role to play in catalyzing change for a successful green transition and ensuring social acceptability for sustainable development, CSOs should be included in every stage of the green transition process to assure that community expectations and aspirations are reflected in policy directions.
  • Every community should be fully engaged in efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, working together to assure protection and attainment of human rights for all.

To this end, the following proposals have been presented:

  1. Mass tourism needs to be reassessed as it puts at risk sensitive parts of the local assets such as the environment and the cultural heritage sites. The phenomenon creates problems in housing, depletion of finite resources like water and land, puts the existing infrastructure (waste management, transport and road systems) in stress and increases the energy consumption.
  2. Communities need to diversify their economic activities and avoid single industry, as vulnerable as tourism which places the community`s financial prosperity to greater risks, as the pandemic and climate crisis already have proven. 
  3. Touristic destinations should establish their operating models on sustainability, resilience and the cohesion of their local community to optimize their hosting capacity taking in consideration the existing resources of water, energy, and infrastructure. The goal of each destination should be to adopt a restorative and ultimately regenerative model of touristic development, adjusted to the local specificities.
  1. Increase investments in solar, wind, hydro, and other renewable energy sources. Each country adopting the most suitable source according to the prevailing conditions.
  2. Introduce carbon pricing mechanisms to incentivize businesses to reduce their carbon footprints and their greenhouse gas emissions.
  3. Promote energy-efficient technologies and practices in industry, buildings, and transportation through innovative and environment friendly processes.
  4. Incorporate practices and tools for measuring the progress achieved as a result of the policies and mechanisms introduced and applied in relation to the different SDGs in order to evaluate their effectiveness.
  5. Enhance technology transfer between North and South, with University students being the target group that can maximise the effectiveness of such transfer.
  6. Overcome the obstacle of polarisation through the introduction campaigns based on the notion of “Quality of Life”.
  7. Facilitate cooperation and dialogue of the major local stakeholders (civil society, private sector, academia) to increase pressure on local authorities and other local decision making mechanisms.
  8. Youth have a role to play in promoting circular economy, yet, there is a need for o meaningful youth participation and engagement,o creation of opportunities for them the gain experiences and role in the decision making processes, not only on issues related to youth but in general about issues of public policies (ownership effect)

Done in Narva on December 1 st , 2024

For more information visit: https://conference.sscw.ee/