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The problems caused by climate change and environmental pollution have become a global challenge, but the EU is one of the first to speak out and take action in response to this problem, to reduce the harmful effects and help transform a climate-resilient society. One of the horizontal priorities of Erasmus+, namely the protection of the environment and the fight against climate change, is directly reflected in the political agenda of the European Union, which once again emphasizes its importance and need. 

According to the 2019 reports of the European Environment Agency, an average of more than 300 deaths in the European Union each year are directly related to air pollution and diseases caused by it. This alarming statistic became one of the reasons that pushed the European Union to take effective steps against environmental problems and climate change. As a result, at the end of 2019, the European Union developed and adopted the European Green Deal, one of the main goals of which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in order to lower the temperature by 1.5-2°C and make Europe the so-called Climate neutral region. 

The Green Deal initiative is a high-budget initiative that aims to mobilize up to 1 trillion euros of investment, both at the state and private sector levels. This agreement, with its goals and objectives, is divided into two main stages, the first intermediate stage of which is 2030, and the second, final stage, is 2050. One of the main components for the fulfillment of its tasks involves the transition to a circular economy in Europe, which is also called a green economy. Today's classic linear economic model is based on the principle - get, produce, consume and throw away, while the circular economy is an economic system whose goal is the elimination of waste and the continuous use of already consumed resources, resulting in minimal damage to our living environment. 

The goals of the agreement cover almost all areas of society and economy and are divided into thematic areas. Since the production and use of energy is related to the increase of greenhouse emissions, one of the priorities within the framework of the Green Agreement is dedicated to the clean energy policy and aims to promote the production of clean energy and the reduction of emissions through the development of renewable sources. In terms of sustainable industry, the goal of the agreement is to promote carbon-free production (decarbonization), which will have an additional positive effect on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Further priority issues covered by the said agreement are the direction of construction and renovation, within the framework of which it prioritizes the construction and renovation of new constructions and existing buildings in such a way that energy efficiency increases, as well as decarbonization of heating and cooling systems, which ultimately benefits both the environment and health. Both economically and in terms of saving resources.

Sustainable movement/mobility is one of the priorities within this agreement, which includes initiatives to reduce transport emissions, since this sector is one of the main air polluters. In this regard, the European Union aims to reduce emissions by 90% by 2050, for which it is taking a number of effective steps in this direction. In particular, by 2030, at least 30 million "zero emission" vehicles should be on European roads, up from around 2020 million by 1. The development of high-speed rail infrastructure, the introduction of zero-emission marine vessels and the widespread availability of automated transport systems will be additional enablers to support sustainable mobility policies. Also, collective journeys planned closer than 500 kilometers should be carbon neutral. We can even consider offering and promoting green travel alternatives within the Erasmus+ program as a part of this policy. 

In addition to the issues mentioned above, the EU Green Deal also aims to reduce pollution in water, air and soil. Pollution is the cause of many mental and physical illnesses and premature deaths. In addition to the negative consequences for humans, on the other hand, pollution also has a negative impact on biodiversity, which is highlighted separately in this agreement. The Biodiversity Strategy offers additional measures that include many components, including those already mentioned above. In this regard, the priority is to promote the issues of reforestation and the creation and development of green spaces in cities. Ultimately, all these steps will help protect biodiversity.

Of particular interest is the "Farm to Fork" strategy, which aims to reduce food waste and transform the way food is produced, processed, retailed, packaged and transported in more environmentally friendly ways. Having a minimum farm-to-fork distance reduces logistics costs and benefits the environment. In this strategy, the emergence of civil responsibility of individuals is even more important, in which both individuals and civil organizations and civil activism in general have a special role. 

Finally, the main objective of the Green Deal is to promote research and development, which covers almost every element of the Green Deal. In this regard, the agreement promotes various initiatives through the use of new technologies and the transformation of existing methods. Presenting these issues as a priority within the Erasmus+ program also gives an additional push to organizations and institutions to promote the development of research in response to the challenges caused by environmental protection and climate change. Finally, we can conclude that, taking into account the above-mentioned goals, the EU Green Agreement contributes to the process of building a climate-change-resistant and resilient society on the way to sustainable development.

The EU Green Deal

Environmental protection and the fight against climate change are among the Erasmus+ horizontal priorities, directly reflected in the political agenda of the European Union, which once again emphasizes its importance and need. The problems caused by climate change and environmental pollution have become a global challenge, but the EU is one of the first to speak out and take action in response to this problem, to reduce the harmful effects and help transform a climate-resilient society.

According to the European Environment Agency's 2019 reports, air pollution leads to over 300,000 deaths annually in the EU, highlighting the urgency for EU action on environmental and climate issues. This alarming statistic became one of the reasons that pushed the European Union to take effective steps against environmental problems and climate change. As a result, at the end of 2019, the European Union developed and adopted the European Green Deal, one of the main goals of which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in order to lower the temperature by 1.5-2°C and make Europe the so-called Climate neutral region.

The Green Deal initiative is a high-budget initiative that envisages the mobilization of up to 1 trillion euros of investment, both at the state and private sector levels. This agreement, with its goals and objectives, is divided into two main stages, the first intermediate stage of which is 2030, and the second, final stage, is 2050. One of the main components for the fulfillment of its tasks involves the transition to a circular economy in Europe, which is also called a green economy. Unlike the traditional linear economic model—extract, produce, consume, and dispose—the circular economy seeks to eliminate waste and continuously reuse resources, minimizing environmental impact.

The Green Deal's goals cover almost all areas of society and the economy, organized into thematic directions. Given the link between energy production/use and greenhouse gas emissions, clean energy policy is one of the major priorities, aiming to increase clean energy production and reduce emissions through renewable sources. In sustainable industry, the Deal promotes carbon-neutral production (decarbonization) that positively impacts greenhouse gas reduction.

Other priority areas include sustainable construction and renovation, emphasizing energy efficiency in new buildings and renovations, and the decarbonization of heating and cooling systems, which bring environmental, health, and economic benefits.

Sustainable mobility is also a key priority, with initiatives to reduce transport emissions, a major contributor to air pollution. By 2050, the EU aims to cut emissions by 90% with specific actions such as having at least 30 million "zero-emission" vehicles on Europe's roads by 2030 (up from around 1 million in 2020). High-speed rail infrastructure, zero-emission ships, and automated transport systems will further support sustainable mobility. Collective journeys planned within 500 kilometers are expected to be carbon-neutral through using eco-friendly means of transport. Erasmus+ further promotes this action with the promotion of green travel alternatives as a part of this policy.

The EU Green Deal also targets pollution reduction in water, air, and soil, as pollution causes numerous mental and physical illnesses and premature deaths. Pollution adversely impacts biodiversity, which is separately addressed in the Deal. The biodiversity strategy includes various initiatives, such as forest reforestation and the development of green spaces in urban areas to support biodiversity protection.

The "Farm to Fork" strategy is particularly interesting, aiming to reduce food waste and transform food production, processing, retail, packaging, and transport to more environmentally friendly methods. A reduced distance "from farm to fork" cuts logistics costs and benefits the environment. In this strategy, civic responsibility is essential, involving individuals, civil organizations, and civic activism.

Finally, a core goal of the Green Deal is to support research and development, spanning almost every element of the Deal. The Deal promotes initiatives to use new technologies and transform existing methods. Emphasizing these issues as priorities within Erasmus+ further encourages organizations and institutions to foster research to address environmental protection and climate challenges. Overall, the EU Green Deal supports the formation of a climate change sustainable and resilient society on the path to sustainable development.