Society for Sustainable Living in the Slovak Republic (STUŽ/SR) TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE SLOVAKIA National study in the framework of FOEE Sustainable Europe Campaign

5. Guidelines for changing production and consumption patterns

5.1 Energy

Despite the limitation of primal energetical resources , there are relatively great possibilities on the basis of reserves, raising the efficiency, cogeneration, using of alternative and secondary resources. The most important is the strategic decision of our government. Its preferences should be followed in energetics and in national economy as one unit. The basic dispute is not only about the preference of nuclear or non - nuclear energy in future development but also whether the economic basis of Slovakia will create mostly obsolete heavy industry, extremely pretentious to raw materials and energy. The branch of energetics is really "calling" for new approaches. The decisive governmental and economic subjects do not want to hear this calling. /The statement of the Ministry of economy in SR/
The proposal of Actualisation of energetic concept of Slovak republic until 2005, with an outlook to 2010 is intentionally striving for estimating the potential of reserves and renewable resources on the lowest level until 2005, with an outlook to 2010. It is aimed at supporting of the nuclear power plant in Mochovce. The condition of change is a fundamental change of economic policy of our government, as well as the policy of such subjects e.g. EBRD, which was interested in financing the development of nuclear energy.
The main way to decrease energy consumption is the wide restructuralisation of Slovak industry. This process could not be finished until 2010. The radical solution - closure of most energy consumptive enterprises (Aluminium plant in Žiar nad Hronom, special metallurgy in OFZ Istebné and Široká, iron and steel works VSŽ Košice, chemical plant Duslo Šaľa) seems until 2010 unreal because of their position in Slovak economy and social reasons (unemployment). The temporary solution is modernisation of their technology with the aim to spare energy, improve efficiency and decrease their environmental impact. Because those productions have no source nor energy base in Slovakia, in long term perspective (2050) is their closure. It could be an important way to reach the goals of Sustainable Europe in Slovakia in 2050.
The most important way for reaching the goals in 2010 - to spare 49 % of primary energy is in energy conservation. According to different estimations, the potential of conservation in industry is about 30 % and in heat consumption in buildings 25 -30 % /Actualisation of Energy Policy, 1995/.
In spite of this, the newest Slovak Energy policy supposed that the use of primary energy sources will be in 2010 on the level of 1990 (950 PJ).
In first period until 2010 is for reaching the goals of sustainable Slovakia the main task to improve energy efficiency and energy conservation, to implement the wide use of renewable resources (to build its industry and whole infrastructure) and gradually prepare the realisation of big inevitable structural changes in Slovak economy and energy. It seems today, that those steps (shut down of energy and source consumptive productions of metals and chemicals without a domestic base and a withdrawal of nuclear energy) could be realistically undertaken in the second period, between the years 2010 - 2050.

5.2 Raw materials

The situation in the sphere of raw materials is very similar to the sphere of energetics. Despite insufficient own raw materials reserves is national economy to a great degree based on imported raw materials. Although the possibilities of changes are required, they are /similarly to previous case / dependant on fundamental change of governmental economic policy and total restructuralisation of our national economy.
The basic measure, leading to permanently sustainable use of non-renewable natural resources is combination of changing the lifestyle, customs and behaviour of population, as well as the fundamental change of economic strategy. The economic policy should be accompanied by strategic decisions in accordance with sustainable development, progressive restructuralisation of non perspective branches of national economy. It is also important to support undertaking activities aimed at sustainable development and general support of rational sufficiency.
The European Union and other industrially developed countries should change their philosophy of help to post-communist countries in order they were not forced to solve their bad economic conditions by excessive using of their natural resources, respectively their environmental space.
Slovakia has great and up to now not used possibilities of metal recycling, which could to a great degree replace the primary production, based on ores. The real status is remarkable: a great part of waste metal materials is not recycled. The paradox is, that there are built important capacities in some localities, e.g. the iron work in Podbrezová - for secondary metal treatment, which are struggling with insufficiency of scrap.
Connecting enterprises, trade, services, transport and other spheres, including wide public into the activities in the field of separated collection and recycling requires better arrangements, intentional campaign, financial support /e.g. raising prices and supporting use of secondary raw materials/ and other similar measures.
The excessive calcite mining /which is in many cases taking place in valuable localities from the aspect of environmental protection/ and following production of cement and other components for building industry should be diminished only by intentional regulation, respectively stopping the construction of colossal water and power plants as well as roads. The cement should be changed by natural materials and its export should be regulated.
The reduction of primary production of aluminium or its replacing with recycling should have an positive impact on sustainable use of energetical sources. We must consider the fact, that aluminium production belongs to the most energy-pretentious industrial branch.
Damping programs in the whole heavy industry must firstly solve the social consequences /unemployment/. They must be accompanied by creation of new working opportunities in sophisticated spheres of human activities, which are economical in relation to natural resources and environment.

5.3. Land use

Contemporary agriculture is facing the principal challenges, including limiting environmentally harmful activities.
The most challenging decrease has been occured in the sphere of artifitial fertilisers, consumption of which is almost 6 times (phosphates and potash ones even 10 times) smaller in 1994, than in 1990 was. Decrease of consumption of pesticides is also significant.
In connection with transformation of the property and users rights, re-designing of agricultural areas is going, related with the reintroduction of green and some other antierosion measures.
Limitation of intensity of agriculture, due to the nature and/or ground water protection, concerns of about 23% of the agricultural soils, but these territories are available for organic farming, to which belong about 15 000 ha of soils now.

Comparison of the contemporary consumption with recommendations of healthy nutrition
Calculation of the arable land and pastures necessary for ensuring a food production is based on the recommendations for healthy nutrition issued by DGE - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernärung. Recommedations for the year 2010 are, for instance, in grain 275g/person/day. In 1990 consumption of wheat flour represented 258g/person/day. Recommended daily consumption of vegetables is 275g/person/day. In the SR it was 199g. Lower is also consumption of potatoes is lower (235g versus 275g/person/day), fruit (141g versus 225g/person/day) and fish (12,1 versus 32g/person/day). And on the contrary the overconsumption of meat is striking (230.1 g versus recommended 54g/person/day) and fat (61.1 versus recommended 40g/person/day) The quoted analysis implies distinct possibilities to reduce the production of grain and other plant products, as well as a possible reduction of pig and beef cattle keeping for meat. On the other side insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables will require expansion of orchards and the areas destined to growing vegetable. Urgency of such steps is stressed also by the fact that in case of fruit there is an "important import of fruit production areas".

5.4 Wood/Forests

The greates possibilities are connected with the improvement of helth condition of Slovak forests, growing the size of finalization in the timber/wood industry and strong reduction of export of timber and semiproducts.

5.5 Water

If target level of sustainable water management in Slovakia in year 2010 will be the level of Austria in 1993 (difference of 17 years) then it is inevitable to start immediately with massive rationalizing measures, preferably in drinking water use in the sense as described above. An important amount of drinking water can be spared in non-food industry.
As for reduction of non-drinking water, due relatively big environment space, the stress must be layed upon securing of quality of used water.