The NODE offers innovators development, environmental, and social inclusion solutions in Europe and the Mediterranean.
Nowadays, Europe and the Maghreb face interrelated threats. Climate change leads to ecosystem degradation and social inequalities that can provoke social unrest. The NODE – Node for Opportunities, Development, Environment – stems from the belief that these challenges are interrelated and that we will be unable to meet them if we try to address them on an individual basis.
On 16 November, The NODE, together with members of the European Parliament, representatives of international organizations, national authorities, and members of the academic community, private sector, and civil society, proposed different multidisciplinary views in order to show how environmental and forestry solutions can foster social progress and business development.
Dina Ionesco, Head of Climate Change Migration Department, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), explained that “In The Node, we can carry out very specific actions to link immigration and forestry, such as integration through reforestation activities.”
Joachim Englert, Social Forest CEO - NODE’s Partner, highlighted that local authorities and communities can benefit not only economically and environmentally from offering the jobless young and immigrants professional training in the field of forest management, but also in terms of cultural dialogue and social inclusion: “We can have an environmental impact within cities, reuse abandoned spaces, create urban forests.”
Miguel García-Herraiz of the Union for the Mediterranean focused on the importance of “including the forestry industry in the agenda in order to combat climate change”, and the Santiago Fisas Ayxelá, MEP, underscored that The NODE, with its multidisciplinary approach, is capable of providing innovative sustainable development solutions in the forestry, environmental, and social sectors, as well as being a valuable vehicle for social, economic, and human development.
The NODE is prepared to support the implementation of a European forestry strategy and to help the European institutions and Mediterranean countries to meet their common objectives, in line with COP 22 and the Sustainable Development Objectives.
In the next couple of weeks, The NODE will launch a free service: a search tool for the environmental industry which will put users in direct contact with potential partners or services that could be of interest to them, thus giving them access to important business, development, and cooperation opportunities.
Vision Communication is one of the founding members of The NODE, contributing with its experience in a wide range of activities related to communication, marketing, social awareness, and dissemination. At Vision Communication, we defend the principles of social inclusion, empowerment, and cultural dialogue, and our idea to put them at the service of innovation and environmental conservation. How? Through communication for action.
Video summary of the event
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Further material: participant quotes, photos, and keynotes.
