Nature, Economy, Technology, and Society

The warmest winter in history and the truly global pandemics in 2020 may prove to be a turning point in our thinking about economy and nature. Aspects of sustainability have been internalized gradually into mainstream economics. Digitalization opens up new avenues for applying resource-saving and green technologies. Yet, market competition and innovation may impact positively the case of environment under particular legal, institutional, and political conditions only. The author reviews the evolution of the Hungarian environmental movements, comments on some critical aspects of the interface between the green movements and the state and society with reference to the particular conditions of the European semi-periphery. The recent de-globalization tendencies and related risks are touched upon.