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.

SESSION II

CLIMATE CHANGE – THE SITUATION IN THE ŁÓDŹ REGION

The effects of a changing climate represent the most significant challenge to public health for people around the world nowadays. Key consequences of this very process will be indicated, both in the world, in Poland and the Łodź Region. In particular, the thesis statement that the most commonly observed form of the impact of this process is the disturbance of the water cycle, resulting in increased flood risk and prolonged periods of drought will be justified. The considerable role of urban green areas will be discussed, not only as a pro-ecological activity but also in the prevention of civilization diseases. We will find out whether the COP24 has brought the expected effects. Has it driven us to take decisive action?