Natural Resources, Green Technology and Sustainable Development

After the great success of the GREEN2014, GREEN2016, GREEN2018 and GREEN2022 conferences and a break due to the pandemic, leading experts from all over the world gathered in Zagreb, Croatia, again for the fifth International Scientific & Expert Conference "Natural resources, green technology and sustainable development – GREEN/5" from 3 to 5 December. 

The conference was organized by the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatian Forest Research Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, University of Zagreb Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Croatian Society of Biotechnology, Croatian Chamber of Forestry and Wood Technology Engineers, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Academy of Forestry Sciences, "Zeleni prsten" Public Institution of Zagreb County. 

The event was supported by IUFRO Division 8 Forest Environment, EFI – European Forest Institute, and EBTNA – European Biotechnology Thematic Network Association. The conference gathered 255 from the following countries: Japan, Finland, Austria, Serbia, Portugal, France, Malaysia, Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, Greece, Netherlands, Albania, Turkey, Norway, Slovenia, USA and Croatia

Discussions focused on challenges, risks and opportunities in environmental and ecosystem management while emphasizing the potential of plant extracts, functional food and useful products coming from nature as well as the implementation of green technology and biomass in general. 

The conference began with two plenary presentations. The first, titled "Rethinking Economic Growth: How Forests Can Lead Us to a Sustainable Future," was delivered by Robert Mavsar from the European Forest Institute. The second plenary presentation, "IUFRO – The International Union of Forest Research Organizations," was given by Elena Paoletti from IUFRO, where she discussed the work of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations.

Each of the six main sessions also featured plenary presentations: 

Session A: Environment and climate change 
Alessandra De Marco "Air pollution and Climate change Impacts on Forests"

Session B: Sustainable production of food 
Roland Ludwig "Enzymes contributing to sustainable food production"

Session C: Green technologies 
Pedro Lozano "Green(Bio) Catalytic processes for sustainable chemical industries"

Session D: Urban forest and urban greening 
Polona Žindaršić Plazl "Flow biocatalysis as a key green technology" 
Pierre Sicard "The 3-30-300 rule compliance: A Geospatial tool for Urban Planning" 

Session E: Sustainable wood products 
Aleš Straže "Use of non-destructive method to determine quality along the entire production chain from forest to end use"

Session F: Silviculture and ecosystem management  
Valeriu-Norocel Nicolescu "Stand Silviculture "Vs. "Free-Growth Silviculture" in Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea (Matt.) Liebl)

Taking a multidisciplinary approach, presenters at the conference showed and shared the latest scientific achievements and offered possible answers to the challenges ahead, illustrated new policies, demonstrated innovative techniques and outlined the sustainability of ecosystems. 

Conference organizers and committees Green2024: HRVATSKI ŠUMARSKI INSTITUT

Book of Abstracts and Proceedings: please see below
 

Report from the GREEN/5 Conference in Zagreb, Croatia, 3-5 December 2024 

By Tamara Jakovljević, Croatian Forest Research Institute, International Scientific Committee Chair and Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO Working Party 8.04.03 Atmospheric deposition, soils and nutrient cycles