SESJA XV

REGIONAL SPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM

The session aims to present a publicly available map application – Geoportal of the Łódź Voivodeship, made rendered at www.geoportal.lodzkie.pl. The main purpose of the Geoportal’s operation is to equalize the disproportion in access to spatial information through the utilization of information technologies by either residents, entrepreneurs, schools, offices and anyone interested in information from the Łódź Voivodeship.

The following will be indicated:

• potential users,
• legal bases of map application functioning,
• content of selected thematic portals,
• content of reference (underlay) maps, as well as maps with industry information,
• basic, as well as selected advanced map application tools.

SESSION XIV

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGES IN THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT

The panel provides for speeches of specialists from various branches of science to create a comprehensive picture of the situation at present of Polish agriculture and its potential for sustainable development. The theme will be water management and agricultural practices in the context of adaptation to climate change. The panel will present, inter alia, biotechnologies used to increase water retention in the landscape, the ability to absorb pollutants and limit eutrophication of surface waters, limit the outflow of nitrogen pollutants from point and area sources, as well as to improve soil quality and plant growth and yield.

SESSION XI

POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SILVER ECONOMY

The aim of the panel is to indicate whether there are opportunities, within the Łódź Voivodeship, for the development of the so-called silver economy, i.e., the system of production and distribution of goods and services targeted at meeting the specific needs of seniors and people approaching the beginning of old age. By commencing from the demographic changes, the development perspectives of selected sectors of the economy (consumer goods, tourism), and methods of influencing the activity of people at retirement age on the labour market (age management, intergenerational knowledge transfer) will be presented, indicating the specificity of the Łódź region.

SESSION IX

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE BIOECONOMY

The value of intellectual property in a knowledge-based economy is crucial. For this reason, it is necessary to be familiar with the solutions and strategies for adequate protection of intangible assets. The papers presented in the panel shall aim at addressing general issues related to the management of intellectual property rights in the field of bioeconomy.

SESSION VIII

BIODEGRADABLE ELEMENTS, WASTE MANAGEMENT

Bio-waste accounts for 36.7% of the mass of all municipal waste generated. It represents about 3 million tons of kitchen-originating bio-waste and nearly 1 million tons of green and garden waste. During the panel, problems with the generation of bio-waste will be presented, with particular attention to manners of preventing food waste. The principles of selective bio-waste collection will also be discussed. The most attention will be paid, however, to presenting various methods of bio-waste processing.

SESSION VII

BIOINNOVATIONS FOR SMEs

The session is a platform for the interchange of experience between the sphere of science and business on bioinnovation for SMEs. In the panel you shall find answers to questions about the circular economy. The basis of any economic system constitutes the multiplication of capital by increasing the mass of processed resources. Does it always stimulate technological progress? Is it possible to transform abstract concepts of the circular economy into a practical and applicable business model? Examples of biotechnological solutions presented in the panel include obtaining energy and valuable bioproducts from either agricultural and food industry wastes, biopreparations for agricultural applications, the food industry, bioactive technical materials, as well as other interesting solutions.

SESSION VI

THE FUND THAT FINANCES AND INSPIRES ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

The goal of the ecological panel entitled “the Fund that finances and inspires environmental education” during the 7th Bioeconomy Congress, is to present activities for which the monies from the Voivodeship Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Łódź have been used, and to create a platform for the interchange of ecological experiences and ideas, pay special attention to educational and preventive activities at both the local and regional level.

SESJA V

ANTI-AGING MEDICINE – HOW TO STAY VITAL ALL LIFE LONG

The longest living person in the world, so far, was Jeanne Clement, 122 years of age. When she reached 85, she started practicing fencing, and after reaching 100, she was still riding a bicycle. Aging is an inevitable process. Nonetheless, the quality of life, as well as how long we shall remain functional depends on us. The latest scientific knowledge indicates that telomeres – fragments of the chromosome, located at its very end, which protect it from damage during copying, take responsibility for aging. A telomere shortens itself during each cell division.

During the panel, we will define the most favourable and unfavourable factors affecting the shortening of life, as well as answer the questions, namely:

• how is the aging process related to the lifestyle?
• are there safe treatments extending youth?
• how can diet and physical activity affect the length and quality of life?
• how to effectively counteract civilization diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer or depression?

SESSION IV

GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

Green public procurement aims to integrate environmental aspects into all stages of the public procurement procedure. They may either relate to the preparation of the procedure, constitute an important element of the description of the subject matter of the procurement, represent an element of the contractors’ qualification to participate in the procedure and a premise for their exclusion, as well as may also become an important element of the offer evaluation. Environmental aspects may also be included in the public procurement agreement. Both the role and significance of green public procurement will be demonstrated on the grounds of Polish and European public procurement law. Practical examples of the application of green public procurement in Poland and other EU countries will also be presented, including in the context of supporting the development of bioproducts and bioservices, as well as of promoting renewable energy sources.

SESSION III

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE – BIODIVERSITY OF RURAL AREAS

Panel dedicated to the issue of biodiversity in rural areas. The biodiversity will be considered in a broad spectre, at many levels of an organization, including landscape, biocenotic, species. The interchange of views shall address issues such as:

• the current condition of biodiversity in rural areas;
• threats to the preservation of biodiversity and trends of changes resulting from changing technologies in agriculture; examples of biodiversity loss;
• effects of biodiversity loss on the development potential of rural areas in the following aspects: economic, social, environmental;
• biodiversity vs the quality of life of rural residents;
• opportunities to take action to preserve and restore biodiversity on either a local, regional and global scale.