Case study: Project ECOPROFIT

CASE STUDY: PROJECT ÖKOPROFIT
"Saving money and helping the environment by combining financial gain and ecological benefit"

The city of Graz, the capital of Styria, is the second largest city in Austria and the economic heart of the province of Styria. About 40% of Styria's GDP is produced in Graz and its surroundings. The Styrian capital is nowadays increasingly renowned for its examplary efforts for sustainable development but in the early 1990s the city of Graz experienced serious problems with its air quality and the environmental situation reached a critical point.

In response, the Environmental Agency of the city of Graz and the University of Graz cooperated in developing a local initiative. The result in 1991 was the ÖKOPROFIT (ÖKOlogistics PROjekt Für Integriete Umwelt-Technik), the ECOPROFIT (ECOlogical PROject For Integrated environmental Technology), an environmental program that aims to help local communities achieve sustainable economic development through improving the eco-efficiency of enterprises. ÖKOPROFIT was developed by STENUM from 1992 to 1993 on behalf of the city of Graz. The model developed in Graz has been adopted by towns and municipalities all over Austria and abroad, and, for instance, it was implemented for the first time in Germany as part of the Munich Agenda 21.

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= Comparison of Czech and Austrian approach to SD with the focus on stakeholders in the Ústí Region and in the Styria =

Introduction
In the week from 10th to 15th September the group of fifteen Czech students has attended of sustainability field trips to the province of Styria in Austria organized by the Charles University Environment Centre as part of the MOSUR project. The field trip has been focused on the sustainable development in Austria, especially in city of Graz and on the province of Styria. We have met with different stakeholders of sustainable development in this region. We have had opportunities the comparison of Czech and Austrian approach to sustainable development. We focus in this presentation on the comparison of stakeholders in the Ústí Region (Ústecký kraj) and in the province of Styria. Some approaches from Styria can be apply to our region.

Ústí region

 * Population (2011): 826 000
 * Area (sq. km): 5335
 * Economic growth (%, 2011): 6,63

Styria

 * Population (2011): 1,21 mil.,
 * Area (sq. km): 16 400
 * Economic growth (%, 2011): 3,9

Ústí region
Ústí region has thin economic base. Regional raw-material basis includes especially the largest national deposits of brown coal. The region belongs among areas with a highly developed industrial production. The most important sectors are for example – chemical industry, brown coal mining and power generation. Key stakeholders are mining companies (Czech Coal a.s., Severočeské Doly a.s.), energetic company (CEZ Group) and chemical companies (Unipetrol, Spolchemie, Setuza).

Styria
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In Ústecký kraj we can use local sources. This area is known only for coal mining. Tourism in Ústecký kraj is one of the lowest in the Czech republic. Therefore, in our project, we expect an increase a tourism. The first step is to no-breach coal mining limits and revitalization of demaged areas. The question of breaching of mining limits and of damage next villages brings the uncertainty. People in towns dont renovate their houses and houses break up.

The second step will be to improve the lack of advertising for the Ústí region – there are many beautiful castles (Střekov in Ústí nad Labem, Hasištejn near Prunéřov, Děčín, Libočany near Žatec, Jezeří and Červený Hrádek near Most), National park Bohemian Schwitzerland, Landscape park Central Bohemian Uplands, Nature Park Ore Mountains, interesting lookout towers (Děčínský Sněžník, Klínovec) and many other sights. As a model we can use the Austrian Zotter chocolate factory, Gölles – producer of bio-vinegard and schnaps or private hotel with microbrewery.

To improve sustainable develepement in our region we propose several solutions:

1) PR Unfortunately many people don´t know about our national parks and protected areas. We propose the model of the Austrian national parks promotion on workshops, fairs and exhibitions in all major cities in region.

2) Local sources In our republic there are several well-known producers of vinegard - the most well-known is vinegard from Bzenec which was founded in 1921 (South Moravia). The second is vinegard from Úsobí (from region Vysočina) which was founded in 1994 and third is vinegard from Jindřichův Hradec - Fruko Schulz (South Bohemia). But this producers don´t offer organic vinegard. Many people want to buy and consume products made in our republic, but the market is glutted with products from abroad. The question is ´Why?´. Climatic and geography conditions offer a wide variety of food that we can grow, breed and produce. Our project is based on raw local materials. For example in the district Žernoseky we can find sprawling vineyards. So in this area would be appropriate to build family hotels. In hotels (or guesthouses) would offer products from local sources, such as wine, home-made honey products, bio-vinegard. Similar situation could be near the city Most (there are vineyards on rekultivated areas – hills Špičák and Hněvín). Products from those areas would be available only for the Czech market.

Another option is built eco-farms with sales of home-made ecological products. In Ústí region we can find several eco-farms, but there is no advertising. There is absence cooperation between farms, so they could start to cooperate and create a network with eco-products. In Ore Mountains there are good conditions to found new eco-farms. Most hotels and guesthouses offers modern facillites with modern comfort. Hotels can be built in an unusual style to attract turist. For example in region Žatecko hotel with microbrewery, interior of the hotel could respond village cottage from 19th century.