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100 I Gábor Szabó and Szabolcs Diósi The financial package of 1.8 trillion euros constitutes the largest injection ever financed through the EU budget. It will help rebuild a post-COVID-19 Europe in a greener, more digital, and more resilient fashion. However, in order to permanently change the course of negative trends regarding sustainable development, additional and more impactful actions are needed at various levels. EU institutions, Member States, and regions will have to be involved together. All communities across Europe - from large cities to small towns, villages, and rural settlements — need to be part of this collective effort. Since isolated policy strategies have proven ineffective, more comprehensive and integrated approaches are necessary in the future (e.g. environmental-related threats cannot be solved with environmental policies alone if economic policies continue to promote fossil fuels or unsustainable production and consumption). Education and innovation capacities should also be strengthened in order to accelerate the often too slow convergence across EU Member States. Europe has the brains, the skills, and creativity. It is crucial to ensure top-quality education, including lifelong learning, in order to raise new generations equipped with the necessary skills. Heavy investments in research and innovation are also essential. The deployment of smart technology (e.g. artificial intelligence, big-data analytics) can serve as vital tools in meeting the challenges ahead. Last but not least, the EU and its Member States will have to work together with their international partners to achieve sustainability worldwide. Given the Union's relative stability and prosperity, it must set an example to other countries by leading the urgently needed transformation. “We must take action today in order to preserve for tomorrow the delicate economic, social and environmental balances governing the globe” (European Commission 2005, 38). Key concepts and terms 2030 Agenda Brundtland Report Circular economy (EU Circular Economy Action Plan) Digital revolution Ecological debt European Green Deal New Industrial Strategy for Europe Stockholm Declaration Sustainable Development Goals United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio Conference, Rio de Janeiro 1992)
