Ecomondo 2024 themes
Ecomondo 2024 hosted a wide-ranging programme of conferences, seminars and events that explore the main changes in technology, regulations and the market in the various strategic sectors (both industrial and urban). These involve the circular economy, water resources management, environmental monitoring and regeneration, and hydrogeological risk and mitigation.
To ensure the content is high quality, innovative and international in scope, it is overseen by the Scientific Technical Committee. This consists of a pool of eighty members, including scientists, technicians, senior representatives of national and international institutions, associations and federations from the sector, consortia and agencies.
The international programme will focus mainly on Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa, and will be promoted by the European Commission, the OECD, FAO, EEA, EuRIC and ISWA, Water Europe, the UfM and CIHEAM.
The macro themes included:
>> RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY:
The extent to which the circular economy has been adopted at both the European and international level, in terms of ecodesign and efficient processes and products, including their reuse and repair, and waste management and recycling in the supply chains of the following sectors:
textiles, WEEE, plastic, paper and cardboard, automotive, construction, and municipal organic waste, but also agrifood, bio-based industries and the marine and maritime sectors.
>> ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND THE REGENERATIVE ECONOMY:
The repair and regeneration of soils, the hydrosphere and associated ecosystems.
The sustainable production and use of agri-food and agroforestry resources.
The sustainable use of water and the sea (the Blue Economy).
Urban regeneration, circular and healthy cities.
>> ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND EARTH OBSERVATION:
New satellite technologies to help prevent and mitigate climate change with the use and analysis of Big Data and AI.
Indoor air and the relationship between the environment and health.
New technologies and strategies to decrease and control odour emissions.
>> INNOVATION:
Africa Green Growth.
Ways to address the challenges and to improve climate resilience and the efficient use of resources.
Promotion and development of the circular economy as part of the Mattei Plan.
Projects with European funding to repair and regenerate land areas and the sea
>> FINANCING, EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATIONS:
Skills: the human dimension at the heart of the transition.
Technical training, re-skilling and upskilling, and the development of employment.
The role of green bonds in financing climate adaptation.
Ethical and scientific input to help guide and promote the ecological transition.
ESG scenarios: the challenges of sustainability.
>> POLICIES:
Regulating waste in the context of the Circular Economy, By-products and the End of Waste, End-of-life vehicles, urban wastewater and sludge.
European regulation on the transboundary movement of waste.
Also in 2024 Ecomondo hosted the States General of the Green Economy, a multi-stakeholder process involving all relevant actors of green economy in Italy.
The initiative is promoted by the National Council of the Green Economy in collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security and the European Commission. The States General aims to promote a shift in the Italian economy towards a green economy, so to develop opportunities for a sustained and sustainable development, recovering from the economic and climate crisis.