Over the last decade, Hungary has joined the ranks of countries that have made significant steps towards sustainable development. One important element of this is the green public procurement, which gives priority to environmentally friendly solutions in the development of public services and infrastructure. The aim of the green public procurement is to minimise environmental impacts and support sustainable economic growth.
The importance and application of Green Public Procurement
In Hungary, one of the main challenges in the field of green public procurement has been the development of the legislative environment and raising awareness. In recent years, several strategic documents have been prepared to promote the uptake of green procurement practices. With the support of the European Union, Hungary has launched various programmes focusing on the greening of public services, sustainable energy management and the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies.
In the transport sector, for example, more and more electric vehicles are being procured and electric charging stations have been installed in several cities. Also, in the construction sector, energy-saving and environmentally friendly building technologies, such as passive houses and the use of renewable energy sources are increasingly being promoted.
Green Cities in Hungary
The concept of green cities is becoming increasingly popular in Hungary. In addition to Budapest, several bigger cities have also taken major steps towards sustainability. These cities are trying to reduce their ecological footprint and increase the proportion of green spaces through various programmes and projects.
For example, Budapest has launched the “Budapest 2030” strategy, which aims to make the city one of Europe’s greenest capitals by 2030. This includes improving transport infrastructure, increasing the number of cycle paths and creating green spaces. The city has created and rehabilitated a number of parks and green spaces that not only improve the quality of life of its inhabitants, but also contribute to biodiversity conservation.
Both Debrecen and Szeged stand out among the green cities. In Debrecen, for example, large-scale tree planting programmes have been launched and significant investments have been made in greening public transport. In Szeged, the proportion of energy-efficient public buildings has increased and a number of renewable energy sources are used.
Challenges and opportunities
Although the development of green public procurement and green cities is moving in a positive direction, Hungary still faces a number of challenges. Securing financial resources, raising public awareness and continuously improving the legislative environment are all areas where further efforts are needed.
In the future, Hungary has many opportunities in the field of green public procurement and sustainable urban development, in particular through EU funds and international cooperation. Green investments not only protect the environment, but can also contribute to fostering innovation and economic growth.
Overall, green public procurement and green cities in Hungary are on the right track, but further concerted and consistent action is needed to achieve sustainability.
Article prepared by PP9 VAS COUNTY GOVERMENT OFFICE (Rimányi Krisztina)
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Sources:
European Union Green Public Procurement Guide – https://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/index_en.htm
Green Public Procurement Strategy of the Hungarian Government – Magyarország Kormánya – Magyarország zöld közbeszerzési stratégiája 2022-2027 (kormany.hu)
Developing Electric Transport in Hungary – https://www.jovokozlekedese.hu/
Passive Houses and Green Building Technologies – https://passzivhazmagazin.hu/
Green Infrastructure Development in Budapest – https://budapest.hu/Lapok/Fovarosi-Fejlesztesi-Tervek.aspx
Budapest 2030 Strategy – https://budapest.hu/Documents/budapest_2030.pdf
Budapest Parks and Green Belts – https://budapest.hu/Lapok/Parkok-Zoldovezetek.aspx
Debrecen Green Programmes – https://www.debrecen.hu/hu/debreceni/hirek/zold-debrecen
Szeged Sustainability Projects – https://szeged.hu/cimke/fenntarthatosag
Challenges in Green Public Procurement – https://korkep.sk/cikkek/gazdasag/2022/05/03/uj-kihivasok-a-zold-kozbeszerzesben/
International Cooperation and EU Resources – https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/hu/funding/