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We dont need persuading, or punitive measures like taxes to motivate change.
This is where sustainability startups will play an essential role in actually making sustainable options affordable.
The faster clean technologies are developed and rolled out, the better our chances to reach carbon neutrality.
Startups in general often lack the necessary resources to develop their solution into a commercialization stage.
In contrast, corporates lack the necessary tools and mindset to embrace innovation.
With goals for expanding renewable energy and decarbonizing mobility and heating, important decisions have been taken.
gridXis a Munich-based startup focused on building digital infrastructure solutions that will facilitate the energy transition.
We see ourselves as a technology provider and enabler for sustainable energy.
However, the regulatory frameworks among the EU member states are still very heterogeneous.
That leads to hurdles for scaling successful and proven technologies among the EU.
However, a harmonization of energy regulation could enhance competition and set free resources to solve more important issues.
Climate change is now in many countries a top priority for voters, e.g.
in the current German Bundestagswahlen.
We hope that this leads to a more coherent policy.
For example, one area missing from the proposals is the impact of food waste.
There is definitely an education gap when it comes to food waste.
Everyone knows its bad but they dont really know the size of the problem.
Then they say we dont really waste that much food.
Its not until they have the data in their hands that they realize it, Wadhawan said.
However, I see individual countries enacting their own laws and regulations.
So, although the EU isnt focusing on food waste for now, individual countries are.
However, the biggest challenge he sees for sustainability startups is access to sufficient funding.
Similar to Ottaviani and Appler, for Wadhawan the EUs proposals are just the beginning.
And there needs to be an increased focus on the entire supply chain.
Covid has shown how vulnerable food supply chains are.
Twenty million more people have gone hungry since Covid.
Producing food requires a lot of other resources including water and land.
So when you reduce food waste, you also reduce pressure on these resources.
Were experiencing the effects of climate change almost every day.
There are floods in Germany now which weve never seen before.
So there is a need to focus and be more ambitious.
