MINSK, 8 October (BelTA) - Belarus is consistently working on the principles of green economy. The plans for this year are to develop the National Sustainable Development Strategy through 2035, in which the country will decide on the priorities and areas of large-scale reforms in the economic, social and environmental sectors, Belarus' Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko said at the opening of the Italy-Belarus Forum on Green Economy on 8 October, BelTA has learned.

The undertaken measures will ensure progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. They are based on a resource-efficient, green economy model which envisages eco-friendly manufacturing and the maximum use of secondary raw materials.

According to Igor Petrishenko, more attention is paid to these issues every year. State programs are implemented. Legislation is further improved. Documents for environmental protection and rational use of natural resources are developed. He recalled that in 2016 Belarus became the 30th country to sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and undertake obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Green economy principles are relatively new to us but taking into account national features and global challenges, the state defines this area as a strategic priority. The most important medium-term document in this area is the National Action Plan for Green Economy Development. Belarus has become the second country in the CIS after Kazakhstan to adopt such a document at a high level,” the deputy prime minister said.

The National Action Plan provides for the development of electric transport, implementation of the smart city concept, energy-efficient construction, reduction of GDP energy intensity, the use of renewable energy sources, organic production, development of ecotourism, and so on. Belarus is actively implementing projects on the use of bioresources. For example, wood waste is processed into biofuel in Brest, office paper is produced from recyclable materials in Borisov, and highly efficient organic fertilizers are made in Zhitkovichi.

Belarus is developing a network of electric charging stations. A total of 125 charging stations have been set up in the country so far. More electric buses and electric trains ply in Belarus. For example, some 38.8% of the total passenger surface transport is electrified in Minsk. Fifty new electric buses have been purchased this year. Trolleybus lines are built in new residential districts of the city and also a third metro line.

Igor Petrishenko stressed that Belarus is interested in the implementation of green technologies and cooperation with Italian businessmen looks promising in this matter.

The Italy-Belarus Forum on Green Economy is held by the Italian embassy in Belarus, the agency for the promotion abroad and internationalization of Italian companies (ICE), the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Confindustria Belarus. Taking part in the forum are representatives of government bodies, business associations, financial institutes and more than 150 companies of the two countries.

Participants of the meeting are discussing prospects for expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation in green economy and other areas, with a focus on the use of Italian investments, opportunities for Belarusian companies to tap into Italian advanced achievements in industry, and the use of renewable energy sources. The focus is also on the development of smart cities, the introduction of energy-efficient technologies in civil and industrial construction, and agriculture.