Barriers to the Development of Green Economy in Rural Areas of Selected Districts of the Greater Poland Province

Purpose: The aim of the research was to analyze the implementation of the sustainable development policy, including green economy in rural areas of the Greater Poland province in the context of planning and strategic documents of Poland and the European Union. Design/Methodology/Approach: The analytical material consisted of the results of the survey interviews and the analysis of their content. In the survey, a standardized interview questionnaire was used, on the basis of which 668 computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) were conducted with representatives of the green economy sector in rural areas in the Greater Poland Voivodeship and 21 interviews with representatives of local government units at the level of rural and urban-rural communes. Findings: The results of the research show the mechanisms to reduce the barriers to the development of green sector in the rural areas of the Greater Poland by organising social campaigns to change the awareness and educate the public on green economy, green jobs, sustainable development and social responsibility, improving the training portfolio to focus on the green skills through practical training,vproviding incentives for the enterprises and the residents to use the eco-friendly solutions in their businesses and households, preferential treatment of the projects and investments contributing to green economy, creating green jobs and supporting the development of green sector in the Greater Poland, as part of the selection process for the projects co-financed by the European Union. Practical Implications: Recommendations resulting from the conducted research and analyzes may be used by institutions responsible for creating local and regional policies. Originality/Value: The results of the comparative analysis and the theoretical discussion in this article supplement previous research on the analysis of the major barriers to the development of green economy sector in rural areas of the Greater Poland province.