Kozani, Macedonia, Greece. Panoramic view of Vlasti village and Askio (“Siniatsiko”) mountain, Municipality of Eordaia.
Western Macedonia is looking towards a sustainable future, actively participating in pioneering initiatives to reshape its productive fabric. GREENSMARTMED, a European project co-financed by the Interreg Euro-MED program, is one such example, which aspires to make our region a point of reference in the green transition of industry. In particular, GREENSMARTMED focuses on activating a Green and Resilient European Network of Excellence for Mediterranean SMEs, by integrating and upgrading the methodologies developed in the Interreg MED GREENOMED and finMED projects and leveraging the GREEN GROWTH Community, for the development, testing and dissemination of the new unified methodology and related toolkit.
What does GREENSMARTMED mean?
The term GREENSMARTMED combines the concepts of environmental sustainability and innovation. It is a holistic approach aimed at developing innovative solutions to address the environmental challenges faced by industry and especially SMEs in the machinery, textile, plastics, agri-food, mobility and battery sectors. Specifically, the project aims to develop technologies and processes that will drastically reduce the environmental footprint of production units, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The role of Western Macedonia
The participation of Western Macedonia is of strategic importance. CERTH will lead the research activities developing innovative methodologies and tools. CERTH’s experience and expertise will be of decisive importance for the success of the project, as it will contribute to the transfer of the research results to reality.
At the same time, the Regional Development Fund of Western Macedonia (RDF), as a key pillar of regional development, assumes the crucial role of evaluating the results of the project. In particular, RDF will analyse the data resulting from the project’s applications and formulate policies that will encourage the adoption of new technologies and practices by local businesses. Regional authorities and services, public bodies, educational institutions and consulting companies are expected to make a crucial contribution to this effort.
Why is GREENSMARTMED important?
The importance of the GREENSMARTMED project goes beyond the borders of Western Macedonia and extends to the European level. Specifically:
- Sustainable Development: the project contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Deal, promoting the circular economy and the energy transition.
- Competitiveness: the companies that will adopt the new technologies and practices that will be developed in the context of the project will gain a significant competitive advantage in the international markets.
- Innovation: GREENSMARTMED encourages the development of an innovative ecosystem in the region, attracting investment and creating new jobs with high added value.
- Social Cohesion: the sustainable development promoted by the project contributes to the strengthening of social cohesion and improving the life quality of the residents of the area.
The future is green
Western Macedonia, with its participation in the GREENSMARTMED project, demonstrates its commitment to a sustainable future. This project is an important step towards creating a greener, more competitive and more sustainable economy.
The article, written by the GREENSMARTMED partner CERTH, is also available in Greek language at the following links:
