CPSBB took part in the Second Scientific and Practical Conference “Green Education for a Sustainable Future”

On 17–18 November, the Second Scientific and Practical Conference “Green Education for a Sustainable Future” was held in Stara Zagora. The event was organized by the National Group Bulgaria of the Coalition “Education for Climate” under the European Commission, the Regional Economy Growth Agency – Stara Zagora, the Europe Direct Information Centre – Stara Zagora, and the Bulgarian Teachers’ Union – Municipal Coordination Council – Stara Zagora. The conference was supported by Bulgarian ambassadors of the European Climate Pact and Scientix, and brought together teachers, school principals, educational specialists, and students from across the country.

Among the invited speakers was Dr. Emil Vatov, a molecular biologist at CPSBB. He presented the PlantaSYST project, within which the first Centre of Excellence in Bulgaria – CPSBB – was established in 2015. The project was funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme, as well as by the Operational Programme Science and Education for Smart Growth. The sustainable development of CPSBB is further supported by funding from the Executive Agency “Education Programme” under the Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation Programme 2021–2027 (PRIDST), co-funded by the EU.

The main scientific directions of CPSBB, along with some of the current research conducted by its scientists in support of sustainable agriculture, were key highlights of Dr. Vatov’s presentation. He showcased major national and international research projects carried out by the Centre – NatGenCrop, CropPrime, CAFTA, BELIS, BOOSTER, HealthyDiets4Africa, BioCrops, AgroDigiRise, among others. These projects include studies on plant metabolites, the development of biostimulants and priming technologies to enhance crop resilience to climate change, the identification of genes associated with plant tolerance to abiotic stress, the investigation of molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways regulating plant stress responses, as well as new approaches to improving crop productivity under intensifying climate challenges.

Participants emphasized the importance of such events in raising public engagement with global climate issues and promoting practical solutions aligned with them. The event contributed to strengthening the relationship between the scientific community and the educational sector, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange in support of climate-aware sustainable development.