The Ministry of Environmental Protection and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the financial support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), launched the Public Call for cooperation between science and business in the field of circular innovations, through the allocation of financial incentives in the form of at least 10 circular vouchers in the value of a maximum of 12.000 US dollars. Scientific research organizations in Serbia that cooperate with the business, or intend to achieve such cooperation, can apply for the Public Call, in order to promote the principles of the circular economy in practice. Circular vouchers represent a financial stimulus for achieving this kind of cooperation, by rewarding the best proposals in the field of circular economy that contribute to mitigating climate change.
– The Ministry of Environmental Protection highly appreciates the contribution of the science to efforts for the green transformation of the economy and society in Serbia, including the transition from linear to circular business models and decarbonization. In order for this transformation to be fast and efficient, science and the economy should cooperate closely and combine knowledge and skills – said Sandra Dokić, Assistant Minister for Environmental Protection.
Through this call, innovative solutions of the scientific research organizations, applicable for private or public companies and developed in cooperation with them, will be identified. In this way, the commercialization of green innovations and the efficient use of raw materials, energy and the reduction of GHG emissions will be improved.
– We are opening this Public Call in order to help science and the business in Serbia to accelerate the development of the circular economy by joint efforts. Cooperation with the private sector will contribute to the innovative ideas of scientists and researchers for more efficient use of resources and mitigating the impact of climate change faster come to life in practice. This will encourage economic growth and the opening of new jobs, while preserving the environment, as well as the health of the citizens of the Serbia – said Miroslav Tadić, Team Leader for the Environment and Climate Change at UNDP Serbia.
The proposed innovative initiatives should promote circular and energy-efficient technical solutions that rationally use resources, promote low-carbon or carbon-neutral development and business models that could achieve significant impacts and sustainable results visible in the demand for the solution in the market. The deadline for submitting applications is December 1, 2022 at 17:00 p.m. More information about the call are available at the link.
The Public Call was launched as part of the project “Reducing Community Carbon Footprint by Circular Economy Approach in the Republic of Serbia”, implemented by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the financial support of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) from March 2022 to March 2027. The goal of the project is to encourage the development and support the implementation of circular ideas, business models and products of public and private companies, in order to reduce the carbon footprint of local communities in Serbia.
