Breakthrough: Hungarian invention saves the planet from plastic waste
There has been a breakthrough in the attempts of reducing plastic waste. The twist is that the inventor of the new kind of material is Hungarian. The material, called “DAT1”, was invented by Hungarian man Péter Lajter. Now, his company has all possible Hungarian and EU certifications to replace the highly polluting plastics used in everyday life.
“There are so many materials on the market that are said to be degradable, but there is always some non-natural material left over. However, products made from DAT1 degrade quickly and without any residues,”
said Péter Lajter, the founder of Degraway Technologies to szakmaverzum.hu.
Plastic pollution as a global problem
The huge problem of plastic pollution probably needs no introduction. One of the biggest problems in the environment is plastic waste: how people do not have attempts to use less, and how they do not recycle it. Even in countries in which recycling is a mandatory, citizens are often negligent about the fact that which container they should put their various types of garbage. A Hungarian, no matter where he is in the world, always has a bag full of bags. This is where this revolutionary idea of inventing this material comes in.
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The items they make from this material are completely degradable within a few weeks of being in the trashbin. There were already degradable materials, but there is no such thing as a material that comes without microplastic waste. The raw material we produce contains not the slightest amount of petroleum derivatives or any other plastic compounds, apart from being entirely organic.
Practically any area can apply the material: industry, agriculture, healthcare and many others. Companies can use it for everything from plastic cutlery, shopping bags, shower gel bottle to coffee capsules. The list of the plastic items to be replaced by the new material is endless.
“We can now say that our material has become suitable for industrial use. Having the certificates, including certification by the German TÜV, we have developed the production technology, designed and manufactured a number of tools. We are preparing for the industrial launch,” said inventor Péter Lajter. The inventor’s idea revolutionises mass production not just in Hungary, but worldwide.
Earlier Hungarian inventions
Hungarian inventions have made our lives considerably easier. The country has given many great scientists, philosophers, and inventors to the world, such as László Bíró who invented ballpoint pen. Tivadar Puskás’s name is associated with the telephone exchange. Oszkár Asbóth contributed to the basis of today’s helicopters but there are many others who invented, developed or contributed to the tools we still use today.
As we wrote earlier, the introduction of World Science Day was initiated by the Hungarian members during the first UNESCO World Conference on Science held in 1999 in Budapest at which world’s governments and the international scientific community gathered together. Hungarian developments have not stopped even today. In 2021, a new, advanced Hungarian invention revolutionised also the drone industry.
Huge amount of rubbish was left on the streets of Budapest by New Year’s Eve revellers
Some 197 cubic meters of rubbish were cleared from the streets of Budapest by the capital’s waste management company after New Year’s Eve.
The amount of rubbish collected from the streets is equivalent to the annual waste generated by 33 average Budapest households, FKF told MTI.
The company’s workers began clearing the rubbish at 6 am on Jan. 1. The work was carried out by 304 employees of FKF’s public cleanliness division and 27 drivers.
The rubbish collected will be disposed of in an eco-friendly manner and used to generate heating and electricity, FKF said.
Read alsoNew Year in Hungary: first baby, buildings on fire, firework-related injuries
Air quality in Hungary worsening
Air quality due to pollution is “dangerous” in three settlements in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, in north-eastern Hungary, and in Várpalota in Veszprém County, north-west of Lake Balaton, the National Centre for Public Health (NNK) said on Friday.
Meanwhile, in Miskolc, Salgotarján and Pécs, air quality is in the “unhealthy” category. Poor air quality (the category above “unhealthy”) affects Szombathely, Győr, Tatabánya, Veszprém, Székesfehervár, Dunaújváros, Százhalombatta, Tököl, Budapest, Vác, Kecskemét, Debrecen and Nyíregyháza. Air quality is likely to worsen in the northern counties, the statement added.
Read alsoDangerous air quality in several Hungarian cities
First green consultation ended in Hungary
Opposition LMP has concluded a “Green Consultation”, and said an “overwhelming majority” of respondents had agreed with the party’s proposals towards a green transition.
Deputy group leader Máté Kanász-Nagy told a press conference on Thursday that 95 percent of respondents agreed with the party’s proposal that the government should launch a national home insulation programme “as soon as possible”. Currently, only some 20 percent of residential buildings are insulated, barely a quarter of the ratio in Austria, he said.
Fully 91.8 percent agreed with the party’s proposal to withdraw legislation curbing the construction of wind turbines, and 91.5 percent agreed with scrapping the fees on solar panels, he said.
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Some 72.3 percent of respondents “said yes” to a comprehensive public transport “climate pass” encouraging the use of public transport rather than cars, and the same proportion agreed that the contract to upgrade the Paks nuclear plant should be scrapped, he said.
“Unlike the government’s consultation designed to deflect responsibility”, LMP was looking for answers on “real” issues such as energy and climate crisis and energy poverty, Kanász-Nagy said.
Scandalous: planting three trees costs more than EUR 320 thousand in Hungary – PHOTO
The local government of the 5th district (Belváros) of Budapest planted three trees in Szomory Dezső Square. The trees cost more than 100 million while Hungary and all local governments are struggling with the energy and economic crisis. The leadership of the Belváros says the trees are huge and will provide shade next summer, but the opposition believes only the sums are extra-size. Decide it for yourself: we present a photo of the trees below.
According to rtl.hu, the extra-size trees were planted last week in the soil of the Dezső Szomory Square, one of the iconic meeting points of Budapest’s downtown. Using the Stockholm method, the procedure costs multiple times more than traditional tree planting. Főkert, Budapest’s central green management company, said the method is worth utilising when planting lines of trees.
The method’s biggest advantage is that the trees will be healthier and live 2-3 times longer. However, the costs are sky-high. In this particular case, the following items were included in the more than EUR 320 thousand:
- purchasing the three trees: EUR 75,000
- planting with the Stockholm method: EUR 75,000
- automatic irrigation system, the revamp of the electric system: EUR 100,000
- additional administration, architectural, design and control measures: EUR 27,000.
The deadline for the project is 30 April. The local government said the trees would provide shade for the residents next summer.
Here is the RTL’s photo of a tree the local government talked about as an “extra-size tree”:
Air pollution high in several cities, towns in Hungary
Air quality is dangerous in Miskolc, Putnok, Kazincbarcika, Oszlar, Sajószentpéter, Nyíregyháza and Debrecen in north-east Hungary and in Pécs in southern Hungary, due to a high concentration of airborne particles, the National Public Health Centre (NNK) said on Thursday.
NNK declared air quality to be “objectionable” in Veszprém, Székesfehérvár, Budapest, Tököl, Dorog, Vác, Kecskemét, Szolnok and Salgótarján. NNK declared air quality to be “unhealthy” in Ajka, Várpalota, Győr, Tatabánya, Százhalombatta, Eger and Hernádszurdok.
Read also University of Pécs is the world’s 21st best from this aspect
Carcasses of over 600 protected birds seized from Romanian driver in Hungary
Carcasses of more than 600 pine thrushes were seized from a Romanian driver en route to Rome on motorway M7 in western Hungary, the National Tax and Customs Authority (NAV) said on Friday.
An inspection of the car’s trailer revealed the frozen carcasses of the thrushes killed with a gun packed in several bags, NAV said in a statement. The driver and the passenger said they had left from Galati with the consignment and had no information either about its content or its dispatcher.
The value of the birds is estimated at 15 million forints (37,000 euros). NAV has filed a report with national police, the authority said in a statement.
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Minister of agriculture: Preserving biodiversity common obligation
Hungary invested at an unprecedented level in environmental protection over the past decade in order to preserve its natural resources, Minister of Agriculture István Nagy said at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in Montreal late on Thursday, local time.
Nagy told the meeting that Hungary’s new agricultural support system involves several measures that promote preserving biodiversity. Thanks to new allocations entering force in January, a significant influence can be made on preserving the diversity of the flora and fauna, considering that over 50 percent of Hungary’s territory is cultivated, he added.
Over the past decade, Hungary has spent over 300 million euros on improving the condition of natural habitats on over 300,000 hectares, representing some 15 percent of protected areas which account for over one-fifth of the country’s territory, he said. In the next five years, nature protection developments are planned on at least 100,000 hectares, with some 112 million euros allocated for the purpose, he added.
Read alsoLots of people protested against tree-felling in Budapest
University of Pécs is the world’s 21st best from this aspect
The University of Pécs (PTE) has been placed 21st in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings programme evaluating 1,050 universities worldwide.
“As the greenest university in Hungary, PTE has made achievements, but it is clear that it must stay open for further innovations aimed at reducing the ecological footrprint,” Katalin Szili, a member of the university’s sustainability board, said on Monday.
PTE rector István Décsi said the university would continue to work for sustainability and promote “environmental awareness in all sectors”. According to the rankings, the world’s greenest university is Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands, followed by Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham in the UK.
Read also Harvard to launch world-class clinical research training at Budapest’s Semmelweis
Wizz Air and OMV sign an agreement to make flying greener
- Memorandum of Understanding to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) between 2023-2030
- Enables Wizz Air to purchase up to 185,000 metric tons of SAF from OMV
- Co-operation reaffirms Wizz Air’s ambitious sustainability commitment
Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest growing and most environmentally sustainable airline globally, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OMV, the international integrated oil, gas and chemicals company headquartered in Vienna, for the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) between 2023 and 2030. The MoU gives Wizz Air the opportunity to purchase up to 185,000 metric tons of SAF from OMV. This co-operation ensures that Wizz Air can progress in accordance with its plan for the reduction of CO2 intensity per passenger kilometre.
Today’s announcement builds on Wizz Air’s position as the most sustainable choice of air travel and is a key part of the airline’s environmental strategy to reduce carbon emissions intensity by 25% by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. With the lowest CO2 intensity per passenger kilometre in Europe, one of the youngest fleets in the world, and numerous fuel efficiency initiatives, Wizz Air is already leading the aviation industry to a more sustainable future.
- Read also: Wizz Air joined the elite club of airlines
OMV is implementing numerous measures to help deliver its ambitious strategic sustainability goals, and SAF is a key technology for the decarbonization of the aviation industry. The goal involves increasing SAF production to as much as 700,000 tons in 2030. This is in line with OMV’s ambition to become a net zero company by 2050 at the latest (for Scopes 1, 2 and 3). To this end, clear medium-term and long-term emission reduction targets have been defined as part of the OMV Strategy 2030.
Owain Jones, Development Officer at Wizz Air, said: “We have achieved our market-leading sustainability position by continued investment in innovative technology and operating the most up-to-date aircraft in the most efficient way. Wizz Air is committed to driving our emissions intensity down by a further 25% by the end of the decade, with the use of SAF playing a significant role in that commitment. Supporting the production and research of SAF technologies is one of our priorities and we are pleased to co-operate with OMV to further reduce the aviation industry’s carbon footprint. The new MoU is testament to our commitment to ensuring that by choosing to fly with Wizz Air, our customers are making the most responsible choice of air travel available.”
Nina Marczell, OMV Vice President Aviation, Fuel Distribution & Public Sector: “I am very pleased that the cooperation between OMV and Wizz Air will help us achieve our respective strategic sustainability goals. With Wizz Air we were able to gain a strong international partner. SAF is the most significant path to decarbonizing aviation in the coming decades. Our strategic relationship is enabling the way to a more sustainable aviation future we both want to be part of.”
Read alsoCheaper tickets? Departure tax change for airlines in Hungary
Wizz Air joined the elite club of airlines
Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest growing and most environmentally sustainable airline globally (according to the CAPA – Centre for Aviation Awards for Excellence 2022), is pleased to announce it has joined the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA), a voluntary initiative launched by the European Commission to pave the way for next-generation sustainable aircraft. On 14 November, Wizz Air joined public and private partners at the General Assembly hosted by EUROCONTROL and spearheaded by the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS) of the European Commission.
Wizz Air joins AZEA alongside a range of public and private aviation stakeholders, united by the shared mission to decarbonise the industry by facilitating the successful commercialisation of hydrogen and electric aircraft. To achieve this, AZEA members will work together to identify barriers to advancing zero-emission aircraft, establish recommendations and a roadmap to address them, and promote investment projects, wizzair.com wrote.
Within AZEA, Wizz Air will share information with members on the expected challenges and solutions for achieving zero emission aircraft from an ultra-low-cost carrier perspective. Ultra-low-cost carriers are well placed to lead the transition to a more sustainable aviation industry given their high seat density and load factor, low fuel consumption and modern and tech-driven fleet, leading to significantly lower carbon footprint per passenger kilometre compared to other airlines. Participation in the AZEA’s meetings will provide Wizz Air with a much deeper understanding of how operating zero emission hydrogen aircraft could positively impact the airline’s future business model, and ultimately, eliminate the sector’s climate impact.
Read alsoOnly Budapest-USA direct flight cancelled
Joining AZEA is further demonstration of Wizz Air’s continued commitment to sustainability and supports its target to reduce carbon emissions intensity per passenger kilometre by 25% by 2030. Cutting-edge technology, such as hydrogen, will play a key role in advancing Wizz Air’s long-term sustainability strategy.
Johan Eidhagen, Chief People and ESG Officer of Wizz Air, said: “We are pleased to have joined AZEA, and look forward to working with its members to collaborate on the ongoing research and development required for hydrogen aircraft operations. It is imperative that all stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem – from airlines and airports to regulators and fuel providers – coordinate to ensure the infrastructure is ready for the deployment of this technology on a large scale. At Wizz Air, we remain ambitious in our sustainability strategy and are committed to invest in cutting-edge technology, paving the way to more sustainable air travel. We are and will continue to be the greenest choice of flying.”
Read alsoCheaper tickets? Departure tax change for airlines in Hungary
Energy crisis: Hungarian greens call for national energy summit, energy price cap for municipalities
Green opposition party LMP has called for a national energy summit, the introduction of an energy price cap for municipalities, and the promotion of green energy through government subsidies.
At a press conference streamed on Facebook on Sunday, the party’s welfare and family affairs spokesperson Krisztina Hohn said the energy crisis was felt by every Hungarian, adding that LMP urged the government to introduce measures to manage the crisis, such as promoting the use of renewable energy by households, institutions as well as municipalities.
Hohn said municipalities, often facing tenfold price increases, were unable to cope with soaring energy prices. Even if local councils did everything possible, they would still not be able to cut their energy consumption by more than 20-25 percent during the winter, she added.
Hohn said as many green solutions as possible should be offered for the operation of municipal institutions, such as solar panels, biogas and wind power, adding that the end of the energy crisis was not yet in sight. She called on the government to provide subsidies for these rather than restricting the construction of wind farms and penalising the installation of solar systems.
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Former Hungarian President: Money must be found to solve problems caused by climate crisis
It is vital to provide funding necessary for solving the problems caused by the climate and water crises, János Áder, the former Hungarian president, told a preparatory meeting for the 2023 United Nations Water Conference in New York.
One dollar invested today will save six dollars in avoided recovery costs, Áder said on Tuesday local time, citing economists. “The climate and water crisis is already here,” he said. “Though we tried, we were unable to prevent it.”
The world must now adapt to the crisis, Áder said, adding that global, regional and local climate data was needed to determine what needs to be done to overcome it and how much this would cost. The world has the knowledge and technology needed to overcome the problems caused by the crisis, he said, adding that the question was whether it can provide the resources “that transform the intention to act into actual political and economic action”.
Áder proposed that a “plan B” should be formulated in case the world is unable to provide the money needed to address the crisis. This would involve launching pilot projects to prove that such investments are worthwhile, he said.
The projects, he said, could be similar to the development of sewage treatment in Africa, where 80 percent of wastewater is discharged untreated, creating serious environmental, economic, social and health problems. Prior to the meeting, the participants met UN ambassadors to discuss the incorporation of the climate and water crises and data-based decision-making into the 2023 Water Conference.
Hungary performing well in fight against climate change, says minister
Hungary is “performing well” in its efforts to fight climate change, László Palkovics, the minister of technology and industry, told a sustainability conference on Tuesday.
Citing a recent study, Palkovics said Hungary ranked 13th out of 32 countries in terms of measures to reduce CO2 emissions. Hungary has reduced its carbon emissions by 34 percent since 1990, the minister said, adding that decarbonising the energy sector had been crucial in those endeavours.
Referring to new challenges such as droughts, rising temperatures and emerging pests, the minister said that the government had to define new tasks in agriculture, water management and health care.
Noting Hungary’s energy vulnerabilities, Palkovics said gas provided 35-40 percent of the country’s energy needs. The challenge, he added, was to reduce the proportion of gas heating in homes and public institutions. The government is working to “reduce and eventually eliminate” Hungary’s dependence on Russian gas, he said.
Strategically, the government wants to reduce gas in the country’s energy mix, increase alternative energies, as well as to increase flexibility in meeting increasing demand for electricity, Palkovics said. Hungary’s gas consumption could be significantly reduced before 2030 through comprehensive measures, he said, but warned that this required significant electrification.
Concerning the country’s commitment to net zero by 2050, Palkovics said the programme required investments totalling 16 billion euros, mostly through restructuring the electricity grid, adding that “details are being worked out”.
Three Hungarian cities have won EC support for preparations to become climate-neutral
The government is committed to helping to implement climate neutrality commitments made by the cities of Budapest, Miskolc and Pécs, Tibor Navracsics, the minister of regional development, said on Monday.
The three cities have won European Commission support for preparations to become climate-neutral, Navracsics said after meeting representatives of the cities’ climate-friendly alliances. Discussions have been under way on how to reconcile the government’s climate policy objectives with the financial resources available, he noted.
Meanwhile, asked about progress regarding EU funding, Navracsics said Hungary was waiting for the European Commission’s official response to its letter sent on Aug. 22, which could be expected by Sept. 22. Professional consultations on the recovery fund are under way, he added.
Navracsics said that over half of the recovery fund must be spent on the digital and green transitions, and the European Commission also had made country-specific recommendations such as reforms to education, including raising teachers’ wages.
It would be realistic to expect Hungary’s EU monies to arrive in the first quarter of next year, the minister said.
Put to the former EU commissioner that the executive may be using recovery funds for political purposes, Navracsics said that “playing political games … would run contrary to the European Commission’s mission”.
Read alsoDie Presse: without EU funds, Hungary will face much worse recession
This was the coldest summer – climate change
Yes, this summer was the coldest in our life. Climate change is a fact, we have to change our attitudes, and lifestyles and think before making choices that how much climate will be affected.
Climate protection must be our priority. Unprecedented events happened this year across the globe, you can see fluctuations in temperature, heavy storms in winter, floods, droughts, and heat waves. We have experienced the hottest days in spring, rapid melting of glaciers, droughts in Europe (which we never imagined), fires in the woods, and severe floods in many parts of the world. Climate change is the biggest problem of the 21st century. I would say, we have to take action before it gets late. Currently, Pakistan is facing a devastating flood and the country is in a state of emergency. The flood has ravaged crops, humans’ lives, and infrastructure in the developing economy. This situation has posed further threats to the crumbling economy of Pakistan. Pakistan is already in huge debt and I am afraid that Pakistan will collapse to cope with this coming crisis.
Look at developed countries, Europe has seen unusual droughts and fires in the forest due to heatwaves. The water level went down in several major rivers in Europe. The Rhine is the second largest river in Europe which flows from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea, the Rhine River is an important shipping route for many products from grains to chemicals to coal. When water levels drop, cargo vessels need to sail with reduced load, so they don’t run aground. According to International Energy Agency (IEA)’s report 2021, the warming rate augmented significantly in the last four decades, particularly in the summer, affecting the Mecsek, the central Danube region, and the eastern part of the country the most. Since 2000, the average rate of warming has been higher (0.0570°C per year) than the global average (0.0318°C per year). Hungary’s temperature change is linked to a decrease in the number of frost days and an increase in hot days. On this year July, the temperature of 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) was recorded at Kiskunfélegyháza and Hódmezővásárhely, which almost broke the all-time temperature record of 41.9 °C (107.4 °F) for Hungary. The greatest increase in the frequency of hot days has been in central and southern Hungary. The report says Hungary is at high risk for floods and at medium risk for droughts.
Due to the low supply of gas from Russia EU, many countries are planning to return to coal-based energy which will result in high emissions of CO2 in the environment. The air will become polluted and warm. Next summer will be hotter than the current one. Again, I emphasize that it is time to change our mentality and attitudes toward climate.
In developing countries, I see a lack of education and awareness about climate change. People have no idea what is climate change and what factors accelerate the change. So, we can’t expect any actions from them to protect the climate. Even though this education is simple and logical but it does not exist in developing countries. The ground reality is different from what we think of. People have no education on how can their little actions change the climate. In Pakistan, burning the residues of crops is illegal but the farmers perform this practice repeatedly, first, there is no rule of law, and second people themselves don’t realize the consequences of their actions. Here, the responsibility comes to international players, especially those who benefitted themselves from this huge industrialization without determining the emission of CO2 and compromising on climate. But, I still appreciate Western and developed countries, sooner or later at least they comprehended and started taking action. I urge the EU, UN, and US, to allocate some funds for the awareness of climate change in developing countries (Asia, Africa, and South America).
About Author:
Dr. Awais Qadir is a researcher at the Technical University of Freiberg in Germany. Dr. Qadir is used to write articles and blogs on science and social issues. He has worked in several country in Europe.
Contact Information: aw*********@iw*.de
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Hungarian green party elects co-leaders
Opposition LMP elected Erzsébet Schmuck and Péter Ungár co-leaders of the party at a congress on Saturday.
Party spokesman József Gál told an online press conference after the vote that Schmuck’s term in the post had been extended and Ungár’s position would change from parliamentary group leader to party co-leader. The new leaders have been appointed for two years, so they will be in charge during the local council elections and European parliamentary elections of 2024, Gál added.
Schmuck said that in recent months, the public’s consciousness for environmental issues had noticeably increased and LMP played a role in this. She added that her goal was to bring green policies closer to the people in the upcoming period.
Ungár said LMP is the only green party in Hungary and it is determined to show to the people that “the future will either be green or there will be no future at all”.
Green opposition calls for parliamentary decree against shale gas production in Hungary
Green opposition LMP will submit a proposal to parliament aimed at banning shale gas production in a decree, LMP’s co-leader told a press conference on Monday.
Máté Kanász-Nagy insisted that the government “gives totally wrong answers to the energy crisis” such as cutting down protected forests, increasing coal mining and “increasing gas production especially through shale gas”.
Shale gas production is “extremely dangerous and harmful” for the environment, and its drawbacks “highly override any profit or benefit” it may yield, he said. Kanász-Nagy said the production and use of shale gas involved methane emissions, which was detrimental for the climate, while chemicals used in its production would destroy the region’s drinking water stock. He added that several countries had banned shale gas production because of the technology involving a risk of earthquakes.
The energy and climate crisis call for environment-friendly and sustainable answers, such as LMP’s proposal for implementing a building insulation programme, Kanász-Nagy said.
Read alsoLots of people protested against tree-felling in Budapest
Online forest conservation service launched in Hungary!
Opposition LMP on Sunday said it has launched an online forest conservation service. Meanwhile, Hungary’s agriculture minister vowed to protect Hungary’s forests.
Those who see trees being felled unsustainably are encouraged to report it on the website www.erdofigyelo.hu, Péter Ungár, the party’s parliamentary group leader, said on Facebook. Ungar welcomed that the government’s original plan for easing the rules on tree-felling had been overwritten by a ministerial order. But the cabinet’s plan “is completely wrong”, he said, adding that his party believed everything possible must be done to protect Hungary’s forests.
The group leader argued that trees that were cut down this year could not yet be used to solve the country’s energy problems this winter.
Agriculture minister vows to protect Hungary’s forests
The government will protect Hungary’s “green capital”, the minister of agriculture said on Sunday, adding that the country’s forests were safe even under an energy emergency. Hungary’s forestry experts are managing the country’s state-owned forests responsibly, the ministry cited István Nagy as saying.
“We are not putting Hungary’s green capital in danger, but rather protecting it,” Nagy said, adding that the protracted war in Ukraine and related sanctions imposed on Russia by Brussels had triggered an energy crisis in Europe.
To ensure the security of the energy supply of Hungarian families, the government had to create the conditions to allow the use firewood instead of gas for heating where this is an option, he said. That is why the government decided to ease the rules on tree-felling, the minister added.
Nagy emphasised, however, that “contrary to left-wing fake news”, the felling of native tree species in nature conservation or Natura 2000 areas was still banned. Meanwhile, Nagy said that in the recent period the government had allocated funding for growing 44,000 hectares of new forests, 27,000 hectares of which are already complete.