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South Africa: Multi-Stakeholder Forum Convened at Sustainability Week
June 1, 2016

From Left to Right: Najma Mohamed and Kees van Der Ree (ILO), Devina Naidoo (DEA) and programme facilitator Cecilia Njenga (UNEP) at the PAGE National Forum, 1 June 2016

South Africa, 1 June 2016 - Over fifty participants convened at the National PAGE Forum, a side event held at Sustainability Week which has, since 2012, gathered sustainability professionals in an innovative knowledge sharing event. Under the theme, Advancing the Green Economy through the Sharing of Knowledge and Experience across Disciplines, Sectors, and Markets, Sustainability Week brought together government officials, private sector investors, green enterprises, professionals, researchers, and NGOs to engage on key challenges and solutions to advance South Africa’s green economy transition. In addition to holding its inaugural national forum, PAGE was among the sponsors of Sustainability Week in 2016 and also participated in the exhibition space held during the week.

The National PAGE Forum sought to raise awareness of the PAGE programme in South Africa, and initiate discussions on strategies to improve coordination and collaboration on green economy policy formulation and implementation. The PAGE Forum, which was opened by senior policy advisor of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Ms. Devina Naidoo and PAGE Management Board member, Mr. Kees van der Ree, of the International Labour Organization (ILO), assembled key stakeholders from the public, private and civil society sectors with the key intent of introducing the PAGE programme to key national stakeholders.

Panelists at the National Forum discussing the theme, Green Economy in South Africa: Promoting Alignment, Collaboration and Cooperation for Greater Impact

Since March 2015, when South Africa joined PAGE, the country has actively participated in PAGE activities at the global level. In partnership with national government, including the coordinating ministry Department of Environmental Affairs, Economic Development Department, Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Science and Technology, the inception phase of PAGE was initiated in January 2016. PAGE intends to contribute to better policy and sector coordination, support collaboration and help improve and build capacities in green economy policy formulation and action.

The PAGE National Coordinator, Najma Mohamed, provided an overview of the PAGE programme, as well as an introduction to the inception activities which have been initiated in South Africa. Forum participants stressed the importance of coordination efforts around green economy activities and initiatives, and highlighted the role for PAGE at sub-national level where more support is needed. An interactive high-level panel discussion followed, in which panellists shared the results of a wide range of efforts, from national to local level and across sectors, to accelerate action in green economy planning and implementation processes. The panel discussion contributed to a better understanding among the PAGE Forum participants about the success factors, opportunities and challenges for partnerships and multi-stakeholder collaboration to support South Africa’s green economy transition.

The Forum concluded with an introduction to one of the key inception activities, the Green Economy Inventory for South Africa (GEISA), which involves the development of a detailed account of green economy initiatives implemented on the ground since 2010, giving a snapshot of the country’s progress towards a green economy transition. The GEISA is envisioned as an important tool to facilitate improved collaboration and coordination in support of the country’s green economy transition, and Forum participants supported the initiative as a key step in developing a baseline for monitoring progress in the country.

The Forum concluded with an invitation to participants to become active partners in the PAGE programme in South Africa. The Forum was followed by a roundtable with learning institutions, and a National Steering Committee meeting. 

For more information on PAGE in South Africa, please contact pageSA@ilo.org.

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PAGE National Steering Committee Engages with PAGE Donors in South Africa
June 3, 2016

South Africa, 3 June 2016 - The second meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) of PAGE was hosted on 3 June 2016 by the coordinating Ministry of PAGE in South Africa, the Department of Environmental Affairs. In 2015, South Africa joined PAGE to contribute to better policy and sector coordination, support collaboration and help improve capacities in national and provincial Government institutions and collaborating partners.

The NSC comprises of the PAGE agencies and key national partners, and is co-chaired by the Economic Development Department and the Department of Environmental Affairs. Discussions centred on the implementation of key inception activities of PAGE in South Africa, including the Green Economy Inventory for South Africa, the Green Economy Learning Assessment for South Africa and the Green Economy Industry and Trade Analysis for South Africa. PAGE donor representatives who participated in this NSC, which included the European Delegation, German Embassy and GIZ, Norwegian Government and the Swiss Economic Cooperation Organisation, shared insights into broader support being offered to green economy and climate initiatives in South Africa.

NSC participants also provided inputs into the development and refinement of PAGE country priorities.
If you would like to learn more about PAGE in South Africa please reach out to: pageSA@ilo.org.

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2016 Green Economy Academy, 3 – 14 October 2016, Turin, Italy
June 13, 2016

PAGE Academy on the Green Economy Enhancing Institutional Capacities for Transformative Change

 

Turin, 13 June 2016 - UNEP, ILO, UNIDO, UNITAR and UNDP are pleased to announce that the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITCILO) will host the second global Academy on the Green Economy from 3 to 14 October 2016 in Turin, Italy, organized within the framework of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE).

Following the successful implementation of its first edition in 2014, and building on results achieved through PAGE national and regional activities over the past two years, this second edition of the Green Economy Academy will boost delivery and knowledge sharing across countries and organisations involved.

See the event flyer here, and find more information on the ILO website.

What is the “Academy on the Green Economy”?

The Academy is a two-week capacity building event, which seeks to address the fundamental question: how to achieve inclusive green economies? It thus provides a full in-depth overview and understanding of latest global agendas, as well as practical tools and good practices - from assessments, to stakeholder engagement, policy formulation and strategy implementation – that several countries are adopting in their efforts to transition to environmentally viable and socially inclusive economies.

Beyond its specific learning objectives, the overall purpose of this event is to contribute to enhance institutional capacities for transformative change towards greener economies.

Who will I meet?

Participants are expected from all countries currently working with PAGE, as well as others interested in adopting low-carbon and climate-resilient green economy strategies. They will be joined by experts and practitioners from PAGE partner agencies and collaborating networks. The first day (3 October) of the Academy will be dedicated to a high-level policy dialogue with key delegates from PAGE countries, PAGE partner agencies and donors. A total of 120 participants are foreseen.

What will I learn?

By participating in the Academy you will be better equipped to analyse the opportunities and challenges for the promotion of a socially inclusive green economy. You will learn about suitable approaches, tested tools and best practices at national and sector levels.

How is the Academy structured?

A High-Level Policy Dialogue on “The Future of Work in a Greener Economy” will inaugurate the Academy on 3 October 2016, followed by a Knowledge Fair on practical tools and best practices from on-going country initiatives on 4 October 2016.

During the following days, aside from plenary sessions, the Academy will also offer a series of electives, which consist of 5-hour thematic workshops, each spanning over one to three days. This structure and methodology will allow participants to follow all plenary sessions plus a number of thematic electives of their own preference. Field visits and a knowledge sharing fair will complement the training.

The learning approach of the Academy is highly interactive, building on global knowledge-sharing, using comprehensive and peer-reviewed training materials, and adopting a variety of innovative learning methodologies.

What is the working language?

The entire Academy is offered in English. Depending on the number of applicants from French- and Spanish speaking countries, the Academy may be offered in more than one language. Therefore, please specify the level of language proficiency in your application.

What is the cost?

The tuition fee is EUR 3,575 which includes all training costs, full board and lodging, study visits and insurance during the Academy. Please note that your travel to and from Turin, Italy, is not included.

When do I apply?

Registration is now open and closes on 8 August 2016. To submit your application, please complete and submit the following on-line form: http://intranetp.itcilo.org/STF/A909165/en

As an organization dedicated to fundamental human rights and social justice, the ILO is taking a leading role in international efforts to promote and realize gender equality. In line with this focus, women candidates are especially welcome.

Who do I ask for further information?

ITCILO staff will be pleased to respond to your queries. Please do not hesitate to get in touch by writing to greenjobs@itcilo.org

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Roundtable kick-starts PAGE Green Economy Learning Assessment in South Africa
June 10, 2016

What knowledge and skills does it take to green the economy?

2 June 2016, Pretoria, South Africa. This was the question discussed at a roundtable held on 2 June 2016 at the National Cleaner Production Centre of South Africa (NCPC-SA). The event provided thoughtful inputs for an assessment of green economy learning priorities that will be implemented over the next two months. The roundtable brought together 20 participants from national training and research institutions, as well as business associations, civil society, Government and development partners. The event took place in the margins of the Sustainability Week at the CSIR International Convention Center – a major gathering of public and private actors that are at the forefront of advancing a green economy in South Africa. 

The PAGE Green Economy Learning Assessment aims to provide a better understanding of (1) learning priorities and (2) existing institutional capacities to provide education and training on green economy issues in South Africa. The intent is to develop recommendations and agreed action items for up-scaling green economy learning in line with national priorities. The roundtable provided an opportunity to discuss the scope, objectives and methodology of the assessment and review a draft competency framework. By looking at competencies needed for a green economy in the energy, water, waste and mining sectors it became clear that there is much to learn from actual case examples, rather than starting with a general review of knowledge and skills needed in different sectors.

Take the example of the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), which has leveraged in a relatively short amount of time investments of R90 billion in the renewable energy industry. Various institutions from the Departments of Energy, Trade and Industry, National Treasury to the Industrial Development Cooperation and business associations were involved in the design and running of the programme.  What competencies did people working in these institutions bring in to make this scheme successful and what can we learn from that for other sectors like water or waste?  

Eureta Rosenberg from the GreenSkills team presenting the assessment methodology.

The discussions were moderated by a team from the Green Skills Programme a joint initiative by Wits- and Rhodes-University initiative, which is leading on the implementation of the assessment. As a next step, the Green Skills Team will refine the assessment methodology and reach out to a larger number of stakeholders through interviews and an online survey. A national stakeholder workshop to review the assessment results is planned for end of August 2016.

If you would like to learn more about the PAGE Green Economy Learning Assessment in South Africa please reach out to: page@unitar.org

Devina Naidoo, Department of Environmental Affairs and Wynand van der Merwe from NCPC opened the roundtable.

Participants discussing skills development needs in the water sector.

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Peru: Environmental Performance Review presented by OECD and ECLAC
June 8, 2016

Lima, 8 June 2016 - On May 31, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) presented the Environmental Performance Review of Peru, an important milestone within the context of Peru´s commitments as part of its rapprochement to the OECD. Peru was the fifth state in the region where that evaluation was made according to the methodology of the OECD, after Mexico, Chile, Brazil and Colombia.

The Environmental Performance Evaluation (EDA) 2003-2013 contains 96 Conclusions and 66 Recommendations aimed at improving environmental performance, policy development and informed decision making process in the country.

In line with the goals of PAGE support to Peru, the 8th recommendation of the Conclusion and Recommendation, Part I (Progress Towards Sustainable Development), urges Peru to “Complete the Green Growth Strategy in Peru, taking into account the role of environmental policies as a catalyst for economic growth (…) and strengthen coordination between the National Centre for Strategic Planning, the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Production, the Ministry of the Environment and other competent agencies to ensure the effective implementation of low-carbon green growth by defining specific, measurable and consistent environmental objectives”, additionally, recommendations No 9 and 13 strongly suggests Peru to "Incorporate environmental considerations into the tax system" and to “Bolster the role of the private sector in the development of eco-innovation, energy efficiency, nonconventional renewable energy sources”, as well as solid waste management, thus facilitating consumer awareness.

This set of recommendations is key to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Deveopment, adopted in September 2015 and signed by Peru, and in particular, for the promotion of inclusive green growth.

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Validation Workshop for the Green Economy Inventory for South Africa
June 6, 2016

Validation Workshop for the Green Economy Inventory for South Africa, Environment House, Department of Environmental Affairs, 24 June 2016.

The validation workshop for one of the key inception activities of PAGE in South Africa, the Green Economy Inventory for South Africa, will be held on 24 June 2016. The activity, initiated in April 2016, involves the development of an inventory of green economy initiatives to support improved collaboration and coordination of South Africa’s green economy transition – which is embedded in national policy processes and the development vision of the country.

The Green Economy Inventory for South Africa, by providing a detailed account of various initiatives implemented on the ground and giving a snapshot of the country’s progress towards a green economy transition, is envisioned as an important tool to facilitate improved collaboration and coordination in support of the country’s green economy transition.

The key findings of the inventory, which is being led by Green Talent & Associates, will be presented to key stakeholders – including the informants who participated in the study.

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Under an African Sky: Reflections on Plurality, Partnerships and Pathways at the second UN Environment Assembly
June 3, 2016


Blog by Steven Stone, Chief of UNEP's Economy and Trade branch (ETB).

As I started my day on Friday, May 27th – the last day of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) in Nairobi – with a run through the Karura Forest Reserve, just behind the UN compound, I marveled at the broad African sky and all that bustled into life underneath it.

It had been an incredible week.  Little noticed in the press as President Obama made his way to Hiroshima, marking 70 years since that inflection point in our history, ministers from around the world descended on Nairobi for a very different conversation: how to address the common challenge of delivering on environmental sustainability, and in particular its central and underpinning role in the newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Much as a kaleidoscope pointed to the sun, a colourful array of policy issues and challenges - ostensibly environmental in the first instance but ranging from finance and economics to behavioral and hard sciences that play out upon the environment - moved and shifted and rearranged to provide policy champions, thought leaders and the world media a chance to interact and cast new light on the pressing challenges of the day.  And perhaps more importantly, to share and exchange an equally impressive and diverse array of solutions coming to light that can be deployed in advancing the Sustainability Agenda.

First among them, was the principle of plurality, or the recognition that different approaches, tools and visions can peacefully coexist among Member States, leading to a diversity of pathways towards sustainability. 

Enshrined in Resolution 10 of the first UN Environment Assembly, this concept was again front and center in Nairobi, as Member States stressed that in the common undertaking of improving and enhancing environmental sustainability, there are many different and equally valid ways of approaching and framing the issue, whether called mother earth, harmony with nature, gross national happiness, living well, or any number of other approaches.  

Side by side with China's Environmental Protection Minister, Chen Jining, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)'s outgoing Executive Director Achim Steiner, launched two reports that captured this plurality, and demonstrates the leadership that is emerging around the world to tackle common problems in ways that are culturally and nationally relevant and determined in ways that are unique to each country, and that taken together present a tapestry of local and national solutions capable of retaking the sustainability challenge. 

From Left: Yu Hai, Deputy Director, PRCEE; Chen Jining, Minister of Env., China; Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director; Sheng Fulai, UNEP


Turning the kaleidoscope slightly, and emerging from this plurality of approaches, a number of new and promising partnerships were showcased in Nairobi, and welcomingly, their ability to act together and join to form a mosaic of institutions and intellectual and financial resources joining together to support policy champions from around the world.  PAGE, GGKP, UNEP FI, UN-REDD, the 10YFP and GGGI, to name a few, teamed up to engage in a high level policy dialogue to examine the foundations of effective partnerships, how to reduce transactions cost and build "collective impact". Moderated by Amina J. Mohamed, former UN Special Advisor to the Secretary General on the 2030 Agenda, and currently Minister of Environment for Nigeria, this panel of leading lights came to the unsurprising but highly contemporary conclusion that, paraphrasing an African proverb, if we want to go far, we must go together.

Finally, against this backdrop of colors and diversity of players and approaches, emerged a growing sense of cohesion that can bring together formerly disparate and sometimes contradictory sign-posts for discerning our way forward. 

Showcased in UNEP's new report "Uncovering Pathways to an Inclusive Green Economy", a number of new and innovative approaches that stitch together the concepts of sustainable consumption and lifestyles, ecological red-lining, and resource efficiency are drawn together to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the challenges that face us – and the integrated nature of the solutions that are coming to light.  They also illustrate a growing ability to see a greater common interest that binds us when it comes to sustainability, beyond our narrow self and national interest, that will enable us to reach the sustainable development goals and have enabled important milestones such as the Paris Climate agreement.

One of the more important pathways to resurface at UNEA was the concept of market prices and environmental costs.  While hardly novel, new evidence is emerging that together with a growing awareness is making what once seemed an obscure economic concept a commonsense reality.

Take food pricing for example.  At UNEA, the study leads of TEEB AgriFood presented a growing body of evidence that while food prices may appear cheap - and particularly so in the current commodity price slump - the actual cost of cheap food may be hidden and distributed across the food chain: externalized costs on the farm in terms of soil erosion and aquifer contamination; externalized costs for the consumer and the public as human health costs from diabetes and obesity reach the hundreds of billions of dollars, prompting countries such the UK to propose "sugar taxes" to offset some of these social and externalized costs.

Looking farther upstream, and as these externalized, public costs grow, there is every indication that they will feedback through other pricing mechanisms as Mother Nature's invoices arrive on our doorstep. 

Another study launched at UNEA –
ERISC Phase II – looked at sovereign credit ratings and ecological integrity, and the possible impact of increased climate variation and its transmission through price shocks in basic agricultural goods, with important consequences and messages for "biodiversity poor" countries:  ecosystems integrity is eroding, and this can have important spill over on economic performance, and even impact on borrowing costs for sovereign states.

Which leads us back into the terrain, again, of the central role of financing and capital markets, and how they are responding to the price signals, missing or otherwise, cascading through our economies.  The Symposium on Financing for Sustainable Development offered a chance for policy makers from central banks, ministries and the private sector to look at how to unlock financing and investments in the economy of tomorrow.

Which turns out to be a non-trivial point.  As our economies and societies are so full of inertia - behavioral, institutional, physical - it turns out that we cannot only point out the hidden costs that are slowly creeping up, un-ignorable, in other parts of the economy; but rather look to the investments and opportunities that a cleaner and greener economy could bring.  To engage proactively with those policy and business entrepreneurs who will shape and form the economies of tomorrow.  And, if needed, challenge the vested interests and status quo that is holding it back.

From Left: Eric Usher, UNEP FI; Jeremy Ngunze, 
CEO of Kenya Commercial Bank of Africa Ltd; Davaakhuu Tumurkhuu, Vice President Mongolian Bankers Association & CEO of Arig Bank; Bernard Osawa, Director, Frontier Investment Management, Kenya; Raymond Carlsen, CEO, Scatec Solar, Norway



Because as we reach mid-way in 2016, we have a golden opportunity: to build on the landscape change agreements of 2015 - in particular from Paris and the freshly minted 2030 agenda - to reexamine how we operate our markets and economies, and rethink the rules of the game for making them fit for purpose and vehicles to deliver on sustainability.

In this, we are fortunate to hear the call of Germany, which at a media event to welcome new partner countries to PAGE – the Partnership for Action on Green Economy - announced its intention to host the next gathering of policy champions in Berlin, this coming March 2017, as their presidency to the G20 kicks off the year. Making our economies motors of productivity and value, of shared prosperity. There are more than one way to do so - multiple pathways, in fact - but uncovering them has become and urgent and common undertaking. 

And we have the partnerships and platforms to carry them forward, linking and strengthening policy champions from around the globe, and reinforcing the sense of opportunity that lies ahead through shared and common purpose.

From Left: Mr. Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for the Environment, EC; Nik Sekhran, UNDP; Mr. Kwang-Hee NAM, Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea; Elliot Harris, UNEP; H.E. Bomo Edna Molewa, Env. Minister, South Africa; H.E. Denis Lowe, Env. Minister, Barbados; Daniar Imanaliev, Dep. Minister of Economy, Kyrgyz Republic; Pavan Sukhdev, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador; H.E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Env. Minister, UAE; Mr. Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Envv, Germany 



There is strength and optimism under the skies of Africa - an old continent, from where our humanity emerged thousands of years ago.

And from whence, new points of inflection, new points of light, coalesce to form a rainbow of approaches and solutions to the environmental challenges before us.

As I ran through the Karura Forest Reserve in the pre-dawn light, I couldn’t help but feel that under this wide African sky, there is room for all, and that we have the ability to partner and forge ahead effectively, uncovering the pathways that exist before us but call out to be discovered, as we make our way forward into an unknown and unknowable future, but one that is now well marked with clearly defined goals and sign posts for measuring our progress along the way.

As Achim Steiner said during his remarks during UNEA-2, and captured in a recently released video tracing the evolution of the Green Economy Initiative: “Join us on this journey". 

Together, we can go far.



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PAGE Releases a Synthesis Report on Integrated Planning and Sustainable Development
June 1, 2016

Read the Integrated Planning and Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities Synthesis Report

In September 2015, UN Member States approved the 2030 Development Agenda and a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs holistically address the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and are designed to be pursued in combination, rather than one at a time. Integrated development is therefore at the heart of the 2030 Development Agenda as reflected in the SDGs. Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) approaches and those that address the Poverty-Environment Nexus (PEN) can play a central role in advancing the SDGs.

This report seeks to further the understanding of the practicalities of embedding such integrated approaches across the planning cycle in countries at various stages of development. There is a growing country demand for such insights to inform SDG implementation. This synthesis report identifies what countries are already doing to transition to integrated planning and implementation and analyzes what challenges they face and where support should be targeted to accelerate the 2030 sustainable development agenda and promote inclusive green growth.

The report synthesizes a wide range of policy and programming experiences in the areas of inclusive green economy and the poverty-environment nexus, and draws on the findings of eight national scoping studies on integrated planning, commissioned as part of this study. The national scoping studies provide an up-to-date snapshot of where some countries stand on integrated planning, the key challenges they now face, and suggested actions to accelerate their transition to an IGE in support of SDG implementation. The scoping study countries are: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Rwanda, Tajikistan and Viet Nam.

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PAGE celebrates the joining of three new countries: Barbados, Kyrgyz Republic and Brazil (Mato Grosso State)
May 26, 2016

26 May 2016, Nairobi, Kenya – The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) celebrated the joining of three new countries to its community: Barbados, Kyrgyz Republic and Brazil (Mato Grosso State).

The announcement was made during the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) in Nairobi, Kenya, at a press event which featured the participation of the Minister of Environment of Barbados and high level representatives from Brazil (Mato Grosso State) and Kyrgyz Republic, as well the Director for Sustainable Development, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Nik Sekhran. The event was also attended by Ministers of Environment and high level representatives from South Africa, Germany, Republic of Korea, United Arab Emirates, Norway and the European Commission.

Mr. Daniar Imanaliev, Deputy Minister of Economy, Kyrgyz Republic, said: "The support that we will get from PAGE will help us to transition from a brown economy to a green economy. PAGE's support will help us to achieve true sustainability".

In her speech, H.E. Bomo Edna Molewa, Minister for Environmental Affairs, South Africa, said: "New PAGE countries, you have joined the team that is winning the world". 

PAGE represents a mechanism to coordinate UN action to assist countries in advancing the 2030 Agenda and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all, given its clear focus on generating sustainable growth, employment, income and wealth in an inclusive manner while reducing environmental risks. Achieving the SDGs will require deepening and expanding bilateral and multilateral advisory mechanisms, networks, and partnerships such as PAGE to support countries. This is called for by SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

In his speech, H.E. Denis Lowe, Minister of Environment and Drainage, Barbados, said "The PAGE movement is vitally important to the advancement of the green economy globally".

PAGE new countries

From Left: Nik Sekhran, UNDP; Elliot Harris, UNEP; H.E. Denis Lowe, Env. Minister, Barbados; Daniar Imanaliev, Dep. Minister of Economy, Kyrgyz Republic; Pavan Sukhdev, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador; 


The media roundtable provided an opportunity to engage in a discussion on the importance of partnerships for achieving the SDGs. The purpose was to demonstrate that cross-disciplinary and deep institutional partnerships, of the kind called for in SDG 17, are possible and in fact in place to deliver on key aspects of the 2030 Agenda, including sustainable and inclusive growth with full employment. The event also enhanced visibility of participating countries and agencies wishing to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, in particular by focusing on the key role of greening economic policies and setting a new frame for defining and measuring economic performance.

Bringing together the expertise of five UN agencies – the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) PAGE seeks to put sustainability at the heart of economic policies and practices to advance the 2030 Agenda. Working closely with national governments, private sector and civil society, PAGE has been assisting partner countries to embark on inclusive green economy trajectories since 2013. Currently, eleven countries are officially included into the Partnership and receive direct support from PAGE: Burkina Faso, China (Jiangsu Province), Ghana, Mauritius, Mongolia, Peru, Senegal, South Africa, Barbados, Kyrgyz Republic and Brazil (Mato Grosso State). The Partnership expects to assist an additional 9 countries, bringing the total up to 20 by 2020.

During the event the 2016-2020 Operational Strategy and the 2015 PAGE Annual Report were launched, showcasing PAGE alignment with the international sustainability agenda, a growing number of country and action partners, and the upscaling of country activities and global engagement.

Mr. Kwang-Hee NAM, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea, shares his views on PAGE

H.E. Bomo Edna Molewa, Minister for Environmental Affairs, South Africa, takes the floor

The intervention of H.E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister, Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates 


From Left: Mr. Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission, and Pavan Sukhdev, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador 

From Left: Pavan Sukhdev, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, and H.E. Vidar Helgesen, Minister for Climate and the Environment, Norway

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Partnerships for inclusive green economy are key to achieve the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda
May 30, 2016

Nairobi, 25 May 2016  – Growing evidence has emerged from countries about the economic, social and environmental benefits that a transition to a greener and more inclusive economy offers for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and its partners are joining forces to deliver a more coordinated and effective response to member state initiatives designed to drive forward an inclusive green economy. Today, 65 countries have embarked on a path towards an inclusive green economy and related strategies. By transforming their economies into drivers of sustainability, these countries will be primed to take on the major challenges of the twenty-first century - from urbanization and resource scarcity to climate change and economic volatility.

The “Forum on Partnerships for Inclusive Green Economy: Joining up for Delivery on the 2030 Agenda”, which took place today during the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) in Nairobi, Kenya, centered on a high-level panel discussion on how new and innovative partnerships can deliver on the central challenge of the 2030 Agenda: creating the conditions for sustained and sustainable economic growth, with full employment. 


The event was organized by UNEP in partnership with the governments of Finland and the Republic of Korea, and co-branded by the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP), the UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI), the Ten Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP), and the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD Programme).

Achieving the SDGs demands stronger, innovative and multi-stakeholder partnerships to mobilise and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources. Both the UN system and national governments have recognized that achieving the goals and targets for the 2030 Agenda will require overcoming sectoral and institutional boundaries, and embracing a more integrated and coherent approach. SDG 17, in particular, calls for innovative partnership to build synergies across silos of expertise.  PAGE, GGKP, PEI, 10YFP and UN-REDD Programme are just a few examples of UNEP and its partners joining forces to provide integrated support to member states to achieve the SDGs.

Bringing together the expertise of five UN agencies — UNEP, ILO, UNDP, UNIDO and UNITAR — and working closely with national governments, private sector and civil society, PAGE currently contributes to the shift of national economic structures in eight countries towards clean technologies, resource-efficient infrastructure, green skilled labour, good governance and well-functioning ecosystems. PAGE expects to assist an additional 12 countries, bringing the total up to 20 by 2020.

Over the last 10 years, PEI has successfully supported this work to contribute to poverty alleviation through strengthened management of the environment and natural resources and an inclusive green economy in 30 countries around the world.

The UN-REDD Programme, an inter-agency programme by UNEP, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), is working with more than 60 partner countries to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, but also to stimulate conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stock.

With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the success of the Paris Climate Summit in 2015, the GGKP’s objectives of encouraging widespread collaboration, addressing knowledge and data gaps, and supporting practitioners and policymakers with the latest analysis and data, are more relevant and necessary than ever. Furthermore, the GGKP web platform draws together over 2,000 knowledge products from more than 300 leading organisations, making it the largest existing source of green growth knowledge.

As a backdrop to the discussion among policy makers and agency leaders in this field, the event also served as a forum for launching the UNEP’s new publication, “Uncovering Pathways to an Inclusive Green Economy:  A Summary for Leaders”, a synthesis report built on UNEP's earlier green economy work, which speaks to the multiple benefits - economic, health, security, social and environmental - that such an economic model can bring to humanity.

The forum featured the participation of Ministers of Environment and high-level representatives  from Burkina Faso, Finland, Republic of Korea, Peru, Mongolia and Nigeria, as well as the United Nations Environment Programme Executive Director, Achim Steiner; the Director for Sustainable Development, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support of the United Nations Development Programme; Nik Sekhran, and the Director General, DG Environment for the European Commission, Daniel Calleja Crespo.

During the event, countries were offered a platform to inspire others by sharing their knowledge, best practices and lessons learned on breaking down silos and deploying inclusive green economy frameworks to develop integrated approaches to sustainable development.

Forum’s Key Messages

Key messages on Inclusive Green Economy:

An inclusive green economy is an opportunity to advance both sustainability and social equity as functions of a stable and prosperous economic system within the contours of a finite and fragile planet. It is a pathway towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, eradicating poverty while safeguarding the ecological thresholds, which underpin human health, well-being and development.

- Multiple benefits can stem from an integrated approach such as economic, health, security, social and environmental by maximizing, prioritizing and sequencing them to produce a healthy environment.

- Design Principles for an Inclusive Green Economy are based on sharing, circularity, collaboration, solidarity, resilience, opportunity and interdependence. To create an Inclusive Green Economy these elements must speak to socio-ecological and economy-wide transitions.

- Embracing a Circular and Sharing Economy can lead to the recovery, reuse, remanufacture and recycling of materials for resource efficient economies and a shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns.

- Partnerships and champions are essential drivers of change in order to replicate successes and scale up an Inclusive Green Economy. It is necessary to unite citizens, communities, businesses, financial institutions and government organizations to collaborate and drive the transition to an Inclusive Green Economy.

  • With rising population rates, expected to be 9.6 billion by 2050, and increasing incomes, these trends will only worsen unless a change in our current production and consumption choices occurs today. In terms of the increasing consumer base’s impact on resource use, the picture is increasingly bleak.[1] New studies note that in 20 years there will be 3 billion more people worldwide enjoying “middle class” income levels. As a result, in part, of accelerating worldwide use of natural resources, price volatility among essential commodities such as wheat and supply-side shocks affecting our natural resources have already been observed.
     
  • For the first time in world history, in 2025 the number of people in the consuming class will exceed the number still struggling to meet their most basic needs. The expanding consumer class or middle-income consumer today can be defined as those with incomes between $6,000 and $30,000 in PPP Terms.[2] Just 25 years ago, consumers within this group numbered 1 billion or one-fifth of the world population, specifically earning more than $10/day and able to make discretionary purchases of goods and services.[3] During the last two decades, we have witnessed a doubling in the number of middle-income consumers globally to 2.4 billion people.[4] Over 1 billion, or about half of this new middle-income class of consumers is located in developing countries -  as this growth trend continues in these new economies, the shift of the consumer class to the emerging markets will grow too.[5]
     
  • The shift to an inclusive green economy and greener growth rates occurs will intrinsically depend on a shift to Sustainable Consumption and Production patterns. Increasing consumer demand and spending have inevitable consequences on the depletion of our planet’s resources, especially in light of rising populations, rising incomes, and an increasing number of consumers with unsustainable lifestyles.[6]
     
  • In line with achieving the SDGs, shifting national policy agendas and commitments towards inclusive green economy and Sustainable Consumption and Production patterns will entail more innovation, delivering human and environmental health, and economic stability. Policies and actions for Sustainable Consumption and Production promote a more sustainable approach to demand-side management and consumption of our natural resources. Economies and business sectors that are early adopters of public policies and business strategies supporting Sustainable Consumption and Production and green economy principles will earn additional benefits from increased productivity and competitiveness over the medium-term.[7] This report offers many solutions in this regard to ensure that the global economy is shifted onto these pathways such as reallocation of capital towards green investments, better alignment of rules that govern financial markets with sustainable development, investments in skills and capacity, valuation of natural capital in national accounts, internalization of environmental and social externalities, mainstreaming resource efficiency, elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, carbon pricing, and creation of institutions for equitable access to- and sharing of benefits in an inclusive green economy, among others.
     
  • Sustainable Consumption and Production is included as a transversal and central element of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Under the 10YFP, target 12.1 of the SDGs, policy support is being delivered through six current programmes of this framework, supporting the development of transversal policies on Sustainable Consumption and Production in close coordination with regional programmes such as the EU-funded SWITCH Asia, Med and Africa Green programmes. UNEP’s policy support for Sustainable Consumption and Production assists the achievement of targets in SDG 13 and 17.
     
  • Inclusive green economy and Sustainable Consumption and Production aim to influence both the supply and demand essentials of an economy from macro to micro levels, as well as understanding and in some cases influencing human behaviour. Policymaking in this complex context requires a collective and crosscutting approach. The transversality of these topics will ultimately need to be reflected in the associated national policies of countries. In this context, UNEP is strengthening public governance for the SDGs in countries such Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Lebanon, Mongolia, South Africa and more.
     


    [1] UNEP IRP Decoupling 2 Report also shows that the 20th century was a time of remarkable progress for human civilization. Driven by scientific and technological advances, the extraction of construction materials grew by a factor of 34, ores and minerals by a factor of 27, fossil fuels by a factor of 12, and biomass by a factor of 3.6.

    [2] Goldman Sachs Economic Research, 2008. Global economics paper, Issue No. 170. Online at: http://www.ryanallis.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/expandingmiddle.pdf

    [3] McKinsey & Co. “Winning the $30 trillion decathlon: Going for gold in emerging markets” August, 2012.  Online at: http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/strategy/winning_the_30_trillion_decath...

    [4] McKinsey & Co. Ibid. Though IRP Decoupling 2 Places current number of Middle Income consumers at 1.8 billion today.

    [5] UNEP & IISD, 2014. “Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Targets and Indicators and the SDGs - UNEP Post-2015 Discussion Paper 2”, Online at: http://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/publications/scp_targets_indicat....

    [6] UNEP, 2014. International Resource Panel Decoupling 2 report. Online at:

    http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel-old/Portals/24102/PDFs/IRP_DECOUPLING_...

    [7] UNEP & IISD, 2014, ibid

 

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The Republic of Korea Extends Support for PAGE
May 25, 2016

Nairobi, Kenya, 25 May 2016 – The Republic of Korea signed an additional contribution to PAGE at the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 2). Under the overarching theme of Delivering on the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNEA 2 joined high-level decision and policy makers in an effort to build a greener and more sustainable planet. At the event, the Republic of Korea co-hosted a "Forum on Partnerships for Inclusive Green Economy: Joining up for Delivery on the 2030 Agenda", which showcased the value of partnerships such as PAGE, 10YFP, and UN-REDD. 

The Republic of Korea has demonstrated continued commitment to promoting an inclusive green economy across the world. By extending its support to the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), the Republic of Korea has enabled transformational change towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive economy.

The scaled-up support of the Republic of Korea will enable stakeholders – including national governments and ministers, the private sector, and civil society – to come together to deliver on the ambitious goals of the 2030 Agenda. The support comes at an important time, as PAGE announced at UNEA 2 the joining of three new countries to Partnership, Kyrgyz Republic, Barbados, and Brazil (Mato Grosso State).

The Republic of Korea was one of the initiators of the Partnership in 2012, and has shown  great interest in supporting a global green economy transition, such as with an upcoming Green Industry Conference (GIC). The 4th GIC, titled "Innovative, Inclusive and Sustainable Industry for Smart Cities" will take place from 28 to 30 June 2016, in Ulsan, Republic of Korea. 

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Peru: Green Economy and Green Jobs in Loreto Region
April 27, 2016

27-28 April – Loreto region occupies more than a quarter of the territory of Peru. There is high commitment to and potential for green growth in the region due in part to its location in the Amazon Rainforest and significant jungle coverage. The Regional Government, at the initiative of the Regional Directorate of Labour, organized the “Loreto Meeting on Green Economy and Green Jobs”. The meeting aimed to synergize efforts on green jobs, identify needs and priorities, and determine actions to encourage dissemination of knowledge on green growth.

The event was attended by representatives of the Research Center of Universidad del Pacífico (CIUP), PAGE Peru, public officials, the private sector, entrepreneurs, members of civil society, among other stakeholders. The Governor of Loreto presented the region’s approach to green growth and emphasized that the concept of green growth for Loreto is a tool to assess and optimize biodiversity, water resources, carbon sinks, etc. as sources of renewable and inclusive wealth. The Governor also presented the progress on institutional planning towards a green economy. For example, public investment projects to enable better functioning of the Regional Environmental Authority can support regional greening efforts.

At the event, the PAGE national coordinator in Peru, Miguel Angel Beretta, presented PAGE support towards a green economy in Peru including tools for the national government on intersectoral policy analysis, the promotion of green industry and green jobs, and the development of a stocktaking study on the state of green economy at the national level. PAGE work will be presented to the new National Government, following upcoming elections, so that the new Government officials take ownership of green economy in Peru.

The meeting was the first engagement between PAGE and the Loreto region, setting the stage for a promising collaboration considering that the regional authorities have already demonstrated their commitment to sustainable development and green economy. The regional Government, according to the PAGE national coordinator, “have been able to identify different strategies to meet the demands of valuing the immense territory with a green growth approach. Not only at the level of extractive activities, but also valuing forests, biodiversity and water. Therefore they have advanced instruments for governance including georeferencing for planning and monitoring”.

CIUP presented the preliminary results of the Peru Green Economy Assessment, including the “Threshold 21 Model” (T21), which is a system dynamic modelling tool to provide qualified economic, social and environmental planning options to policy makers, developed by the Millenium Institute at global level. The assessment will also identify investment gaps, guide investment decisions at the macro, regional and sectoral levels, and identify opportunities for green jobs creation. 

Importantly, the event took place with support and engagement of the Interrgional Council Amazónico (CIAM), that gather all the regional governments of the Amazon regions. The CIAM has identified green growth as the best alternative development model for the Amazon region and the country.

For more information, please see the Spanish version of this article here, and check out the PAGE Peru website. 

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MONGOLIA: SDGs and NATURAL RESOURCE INDICATORS WORKSHOP AND TRAINING
May 25, 2016

Mongolia, 25 May 2016 - The National Registration and Statistics Office of Mongolia (NRSO), jointly with PAGE, Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism and Ministry of Finance, organized a 3-day event on 23-25 May 2016.

The event started with the workshop “SDGs and Natural Resource related indicators” which was attended by sixty policy makers, government officers, members of academia, think tanks, researchers and practitioners from a broad range of organizations. The workshop aimed to explore, exchange views and provide recommendations on recent policy development in Mongolia, focusing on coherence between different policies, existing tools and mechanisms for policy monitoring and review. Participants discussed practical implementation of an SDG monitoring framework, including SDG indicators, natural resource efficiency indicators, methodology, data availability and institutional capacities challenges.

During the morning session, participants discussed harmony between national and sectoral policy documents and the global agenda for sustainable development. Presenters from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism focused on Mongolia’s long term policy documents – the Sustainable Development Vision and Green Development Policy of Mongolia - and their alignment with 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while officers from the Ministry of Mining and the Ministry of Energy provided a sectoral perspective on mining and energy policies and their importance for Mongolia’s economic growth and social development.

Mongolia is a country whose economy is based on natural resources, in particular mineral resources. Even though the minerals’ commodity prices have fallen on the international market the mining sector alone made 18% of the state budget revenue, 17% of the national GDP, 80% of the production of the industrial sector in 2015.  The Government of Mongolia has recently approved the State Policy on the Minerals Sector, updated the law on investment and amended the law on minerals. Despite this significant progress, the Government of Mongolia is facing continued challenges to remain competitive in the sector in the global market, and needs to take measures to expand the railway network, improve the supply of the energy sources, solve transit transportation issues, and improve taxation policies. It was also noted that the material footprint from the mining industry is high, therefore the indicators to monitor environmental impacts need to be well developed.  

Mr. B, Yeren-Ulzii  from the Ministry of Energy highlighted that approximately 80% of the consumed electricity is generated in coal-fired power plants, 4% is produced by diesel generators and 3% by renewable energy sources (mainly hydropower). The remaining 13% is imported, mainly from the Russian Federation.  The State Policy on Energy (2015) outlines energy sector development for 2015-2030 including electricity and heat production, transmission, distribution and consumption as well as the fuel supply sector.  In the policy document, priority areas for the energy sector have been identified as safety, efficiency and environment, and the policy further elaborates support to innovation and advanced technology in energy sector, implementation of a conservation policy, increasing the production share of renewables and reducing negative environmental impacts from traditional power generation.  It has also been highlighted that Mongolia has rich resources of solar, wind and hydro and can be competitive in the region to provide renewable energy.

The afternoon sessions focused on indicators for sustainable consumption and production, resource efficiency and green economy, and their applicability in Mongolia. Ms. Janet Salem from UNEP explained that natural resources such as water, water, energy and emissions are the basis of all social and economic activities, and that indicators for resource efficiency inform issues and trends, help agenda setting, ensure informed public debate, underpin policy goals and policy statements in the form of targets, and measure progress in achieving policy objectives. The natural resource indicators include indicators for natural resource use, resource productivity, consumption, trade dependency, eco-efficiency of production and adjusted resource productivity.  

Indicators are valuable tools for tracking progress on policy priorities and targets, and for monitoring outcomes and impacts.  At the national and sectoral levels Mongolia has adopted a number of important policies and plans to promote the SDGs and an inclusive green economy. Monitoring and evaluating these policy instruments is essential to ensuring the successful implementation of national goals and the global sustainability agenda. The Mongolian Government has recently established 9 working groups to develop SDGs and Sustainable Development Vision indicators for measuring progress. Over 280 indicators have been proposed at the initial stage and these indicators will be reviewed and updated in the coming months.

Following the workshop, NRSO Mongolia will organise the 2-day technical training on physical flow accounts. The training will be led by Mr. James West from CSIRO.

See the link below:

http://ubseg.gov.mn/content/1309#.V0SGnjUrLIU

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Industrial Waste Assessment Validation Workshop, 25 May 2016
May 18, 2016

Moka, Mauritius, 25 May 2016 - The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) organized a workshop on "Industrial Waste Assessment Validation" 

The PAGE initiative was launched in Mauritius in April 2014, with a follow up joint inception mission in July 2014 that brought together various parts of government, including environment and sustainable development, economy and finance, industry, employment as well as social partners, academia and development agencies. Working at the policy and strategic levels, PAGE in Mauritius will support government policy objectives under the Green Economy Action Plan (GEAP). It also builds on SWITCH Africa Green, which all addresses complementary dimensions of stimulating green investments and policy reforms to deliver sustainable growth, job creation and poverty eradication.

PAGE in Mauritius

Industrial Waste Assessment

An Industrial Waste assessment was included as part of the PAGE work plan 2015 for Mauritius upon requests from the Ministry of Industry and the national coordinating body of the private sector, the Joint Economic Council . Due to various delays, the project was officially launched in February 2016 with a capacity building workshop for representatives from 25 pre-selected firms from 5 different industry sectors (National Standard Industry Classifications: 10, 13-14, 18, 20-21). Site visits to each of these firms were carried out, a process flow diagram of their manufacturing process drawn out and data collected about the characteristics and quantity of their different waste streams. These will be scaled up to sectoral levels and regulatory and legislative framework of industrial waste management looked into. A validation workshop is the next step to present these findings.

The aim of the project is to stimulate the establishment of a recycling industry and a circular economy in Mauritius, through developing specific industrial waste policy recommendations while mobilizing stakeholders to contribute with ideas and get involved in the design and formulation of policies that will help Mauritius shift towards a greener and more competitive economy.

Objectives

The workshop was organised to:

  1. present and validate the results of the scaling up methodology and scaled up data, i.e. generated waste quantities for each waste streams for each of the five industries considered;
  2. discuss and identify opportunities for an industrial symbiosis programme in Mauritius;
  3. clarify our understanding of the regulatory and legislative framework governing industrial waste management in Mauritius;
  4. discuss preliminary policy recommendations to facilitate the operalisation of industrial symbiosis in Mauritius

Stakeholder Engagement and Identification of Opportunities

60 external participants attended this validation workshop, including a mix of private sector stakeholders, recyclers, ministries, and private sector associations. Stakeholders participated actively in the workshop, with private sector and recycling sector participants expressing strong interest in the business opportunities which industrial waste presents. Some specific opprtunities were identified, including producing omega-oil from fish waste, manufacturing of insultation panels using textile waste, and upcycling of wooden pallets. A list of policy recommendations has been validated to encourage such industrial symbiosis processes. In particular, the stakeholders held in great regard the capacity building component delivered during the course of the project and the knowledge creation about industrial waste that resulted from it. 

The report will be finalized during the month of June, and will be launched at an upcoming PAGE GE Week. 

Participants

The following participants expressed interest in joining the validation workshop:

  • 1 representative per each of the 25 participating firms,
  • 20 registered recyclers active in Mauritius
  • 11 public and private sector representatives (MoE, MEPU, WMA, BM, members of SC, MoLA)
  • 5 staff members from Ministry of Industry, 4 staff members from Ministry of Environment, 3 staff members from Ministry of Local Authority, 2 staff from Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities; 2 staff from Central Statistical Office (National Census); Moka District Council, Municipality of Beau-Bassin, Rose-Hill; Port-Louis City Council
  • 3 consultants from UNIDO
  • 2 staff/consultants from UNDP

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Presidential Candidate Team's debated green growth in Peru
May 18, 2016

On Thursday 19th May, at 8h-12:30h, Peru’s final two presidential candidate teams debated the meaning of and opportunities for green growth in Peru. With the support of PAGE and Universidad del Pacifico, the 1st Public National Forum on Green Growth for the Peruvian Economy provided a platform for the candidates' political teams to share their views on green growth. Attendees included stakeholders from international organizations, civil society, the private sector and academia. The debates were streamed live and a recording of the event can be accessed here. 

At the forum, PAGE and Universidad del Pacifico presented key findings from the Green Economy Stocktaking Study and preliminary results from the Green Economy Assessment. Taking into account feedback on these studies will ensure consensus for future formulation and adoption of green economy policies and reforms by the incoming government. The coordinator of the Peru Green Economy Assessment was interviewed on national television and can be seen here explaining how the T21 modelling tool is used to inform policy makers. In addition to the debate, each presidential candidate is preparing a written statement answering targeted questions on their views of greening the Peruvian economy.

A press event held on 17 May engaged 18 journalists in preparation for reporting on green economy issues that will be discussed in the debate.  

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Senegal holds first Green Economy Academy
May 10, 2016

Dakar, Senegal, 10 May, 2016 - Over 70 representatives of policy, research and analysis institutions rallied on the first edition of the Green Economy Academy in Dakar, Senegal, on 3-5 May 2016. Convened under the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) supported by UNEP, ILO, UNIDO, UNITAR and UNDP, the national Green Economy Academy offered a space for representatives of government, the private sector and leading think-tanks and academic institutions to review the state of knowledge, research and analytical gaps and ways to improve training and human capacity for a successful transition to a green economy.

The event was organized as a national replication of the global Green Economy Academy, held in 2014 at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin, Italy, following the same type of format.

Dr. Amadou Lamine Diagne, from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, noted that this national academy demonstrates an uptake and ownership of the needed intellectual effort to bridge knowledge gaps and fill training needs. It addressed critical areas of public policy for inclusive green growth, private sector development, social protection, green industrialization and employment creation, which are in line with the priorities that Senegal has put forward in its “Plan Senegal Emergent”  - the national development plan towards 2030. 

Participants highlighted the important role that policy-oriented and solutions-focused research and training must play to inform the shift to a green and climate-resilient economy and society. Environmental and social entrepreneurs leading start-ups in waste management and recycling, forest management, and renewable energy, among others, stressed the need for better training and the provision of enterprise development services to enable motivated young Senegalese women and men to create and nurture innovative enterprises. 

Speaking from the perspective of the Ministry of Labour, Ms Khadidiatou Ka Agne, from the Directorate general of employment and social protection, noted that the green economy is not an environmental issue, but rather a cross-sectoral agenda that should involve all relevant government departments in a coordinated manner. 

Participants concluded the academy with the establishment of a national platform bringing together a dozen institutions including the national statistical agency, the Institute of Environmental Sciences, the Center for Economic Development Policy of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and ENDA Energy, with the aim to progressively integrate green economy learning content in their research and academic programmes. 

Participants also agreed on further work with policy makers, to collectively formulate a national strategy on green economy, building on the green jobs components of a recently adopted national employment policy in 2015. 

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Workshop on Integrated Green Economy Modelling tool held in Geneva
April 22, 2016

Geneva, 22 April 2016 – A workshop on the first country results of the application of an Integrated Green Economy Modelling (IGEM) tool took place in Geneva, organized by the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s leadership. The workshop presented  the case of Mexico and the application of the IGEM to assess the implementation of the Climate Change and Energy Transition Laws.

The IGEM tool has been developed to combine the strength of economic modelling of a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model with the social and environmental modelling of a system dynamics model. The IGEM tool is designed to serve three purposes: it builds on UNEP’s past country experience with modelling green economy policies to answer increasingly complex requests from governments; it supports the endowment of countries with solid quantitative tools to inform the design and implementation of green economy policies; and it advances the process of implementing and monitoring some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As an introduction to the workshop, the video “Informing Green Economy Policy-making through modelling and assessments” was presented.

Representatives from two PAGE countries, Peru and Mongolia, participated in the workshop. Peru presented the experience with the T-21 model ("Modelling green growth policies in the agriculture, forestry and transport sectors in Peru”). In addition, a representative from Colombia exposed experience with the use of a CGE model to assess the impacts of implementing Colombia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution.

Since the launch of the Green Economy Report (GER) in 2011, UNEP`s Economics and Trade Branch has supported countries in the development of a Green Economy Policy Assessment (GEPA). In September 2014, PAGE published a report entitled “Using models for green economy policymaking” to provide a framework to countries interested in green economy strategic planning exercises and held a workshop entitled “A Technical Workshop on Improving the T21 Model”.

The workshop offered a platform for exchanges on past experiences with modelling tools at the country level. The workshop also promoted an extensive exchange of ideas from a wide range of modellers who provided valuable comments on the way to apply the IGEM tool at the country level. The participants reflected on how the IGEM tool could be further developed to integrate other relevant dimensions to the green economy (e.g. fiscal policy and trade aspects) and the links with the SDGs.

Background


Since the launch of the Green Economy Report (GER) in 2011, UNEP`s Economics and Trade Branch has supported countries in the development of a Green Economy Policy Assessment (GEPA). A GEPA is a critical part of the work of policymakers to develop and adopt green economy policies to achieve sustainable development targets. A typical GEPA includes five activities:

1) establishing priority sustainable development targets based on the overall development plans of countries;

2) estimating the amount of investments required to achieve the targets;

3) identifying the policies or policy reforms that are essential for enabling the required investments;

4) assessing the impacts of the required investments as well as the enabling policies using a range of economic, social and environmental indicators and comparing the results with the business-as usual scenario; and

5) presenting the assessment results to inform the making of decisions. Modelling is a useful tool for GEPAs, in particular in activity 4) of the GEPA, to help analyse the effects of existing policies and discover the relationship between policy targets and relevant policy change. Furthermore it helps identify synergies and cross sector impacts among policy choices.

Introduced by UNEP for the first time in the GER (2011), the Threshold 21 (T21) World model made the economic case of investing 1% and 2% of global GDP in greening key economic sectors, namely, water, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, tourism, waste, transport, buildings, and manufacturing. Following the same basis as the T21 World model, UNEP has gone on to conduct GEPAs, including customized national level T21 models for a number of countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

In May 2013, UNEP under the framework of PAGE, held a workshop on ‘Modelling Inclusive Green Economies’ at the University of Bergen, Norway, to take stock of the major modelling tools that could be used to assist policy making for an inclusive green economy and green growth development at the country level, as well as at sub-national and sectoral levels.

In September 2014, PAGE published a report entitled “Using models for green economy policymaking” to provide a framework to countries interested in green economy strategic planning exercises and held a workshop entitled “A Technical Workshop on Improving the T21 Model” with active participants from the Millennium Institute, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), the Centro Studi sul Federalismo (Italy), the University Iberoamericana Puebla (Mexico), the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the University of Bergen and Shanghai University.

During the workshop some important areas for improvement of UNEP’s modeling tools were identified: (a) the need for more environmental indicators, particularly regarding the environmental footprints of different policy options; (b) the need to capture multi-country dynamics such as trade; (c) the need to appropriately address short-term impacts; (d) the need to better track inequality and other important inclusiveness variables.

Taking into account the recommendations from the workshop and given the lessons learned from many of the country applications, UNEP decided to better integrate the current inclusive green economy modeling tools. To achieve this, in December 2014, PAGE under UNEP’s leadership initiated the IGEM tool project.

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Upcoming event: UNEA-2 Media Roundtable "Are we on the same PAGE for the 2030 Agenda?”
April 26, 2016

Thursday, 26 May 2016
16:00 – 17:00 at the UNEP Media Centre
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2)
Nairobi, Kenya

Background and context

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was conceived in Rio+20 in response to the call to support those countries wishing to embark on greener and more inclusive growth trajectories.  PAGE seeks to put sustainability at the heart of economic policies and practices to advance the 2030 Agenda. Bringing together the expertise of five UN agencies – the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) - PAGE has been assisting partner countries to embark on inclusive green economy trajectories since 2013. Currently, eight countries are officially included into the Partnership and receive direct support from PAGE: Burkina Faso, China (Jiangsu Province), Ghana, Mauritius, Mongolia, Peru, Senegal and South Africa.

PAGE represents a mechanism to coordinate UN action to assist countries in achieving and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all, given its clear focus on generating sustainable growth, employment, income and wealth in an inclusive manner while reducing environmental risks. Achieving the SDGs will require deepening and expanding bilateral and multilateral advisory mechanisms, networks, and partnerships such as PAGE to support countries. This is called for by SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Objectives and expected outcomes

The event will celebrate the joining of three new countries to the PAGE community: Barbados, Kyrgyz Republic and Brazil (Mato Grosso State) in a handshake event with the press, PAGE funding partners and PAGE agency partners. The media roundtable will provide an opportunity to engage in a discussion on the importance of partnerships for achieving the SDGs. The purpose is to demonstrate that cross-disciplinary and deep institutional partnerships, of the kind called for in SDG 17, are possible and in fact in place to deliver on key aspects of the 2030 Agenda, including sustainable and inclusive growth with full employment. The event will enhance visibility of participating countries and agencies wishing to accentuate their commitment to sustainability, in particular by focusing on the key role of greening economic policies and setting a new frame for defining and measuring economic performance.

Welcome Remarks

  • Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director, the United Nations Environment Programme
  • Mr. Nik Sekhran, Director for Sustainable Development, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, United Nations Development Programme

Invited panelists

  • H.E. Arzybek  Kojoshev, Minister of Economy, Kyrgyz Republic 
  • H.E. Denis Lowe, Minister of Environment and Drainage, Barbados
  • H.E. Pedro Taques, Governor Mato Grosso State, Brazil (tbc)

Invited contributions

  • H.E. Bomo Edna Molewa, Minister for Environmental Affairs, South Africa (tbc)
  • Mr. Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany
  • H.E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister, Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates
  • H.E. Vidar Helgesenm,  Minister for Climate  and the Environment, Norway
  • Mr. Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries,European Commission 
  • Mr. Kwang-Hee NAM, Deputy Minister and Commissioner of the National Environmental Conflict Resolution Commission of the Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea
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Upcoming event: Mongolia - Green Credit Fund Working Group Kick-off Meeting
April 26, 2016

The Mongolian Bankers Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism of Mongolia, PAGE, the UNEP Finance Initiative and the Global Green Growth Institute is organizing a kick-off meeting of the Green Credit Fund Working Group on 12 May 2016. The meeting will bring together representatives from the Government, banking sector and international development agencies to inform stakeholders about recent policy developments at the global and national levels, officially launch the Joint Working Group for the Green Credit Fund, and agree upon an Action Plan for next steps.

Mongolia has committed to an inclusive green economy development path by approving the national Green Development Policy in 2014 and the Action Plan for its implementation in 2016. The transition to a green and inclusive economy will require the crucial collaboration of the Government, international partners and the private sector, especially the financial sector.  The Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA), being at the forefront of the banking and financing sector, is a key Government partner for ensuring sustainability principles at the heart of financing and promoting a public-private dialogue and advocacy on SDG-related issues including sustainable consumption and production, industry innovation, affordable clean energy and green jobs.

In 2016, PAGE will provide support for regular consultative meetings and discussions to promote the establishment of a Green Credit Fund, conducting a market study (demand side) for green financing and organising the Sustainable Finance Forum. Furthermore, PAGE is planning to collaborate with Mongolian universities to identify opportunities for integrating sustainable finance knowledge and tools into university curriculums. As a part of this support, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) will help Mongolian universities set up a “Center of Excellence” for the design of modules and training and educational materials inclusive of sustainable finance concepts.

The Center will also support the creation of a national pool of lecturers and researchers with knowledge on sustainable finance.  PAGE envisions this support will enable universities to prepare future professionals to understand and apply the fundamentals of sustainability in the finance sector. 

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Senegal – Discussing IGE Strategies with the Economic, Social & Environmental Council
April 26, 2016

Senegal, 26 April 2016 - The Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Senegal (CESE) invited PAGE agencies to a consultative meeting on green economy strategies and objectives in Senegal. PAGE was represented by the resident agencies -  International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations  Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The CESE is a constitutional consultative assembly which represents key economic, social and environmental stakeholders, promoting cooperation between different socio-professional interest groups and ensuring they are part of the process of shaping and reviewing public policy. The consultative meeting with one of the most important political institutions in Senegal, which gathered counsellors from the economic, social and environmental fields, represented an important milestone in the political and policy uptake of green economy strategies in Senegal. The meeting follows the production of a Strategic Guidance Document on Green Economy for Senegal, which members of the CESE contributed to, together with members of the national Parliament. The document was elaborated and validated during the Green Economy Week held in Senegal in November 2015.  

The Strategic Guidance document demonstrates the benefits of inclusive green economy for Senegal, and outlines actions undertaken by the CESE and the National Assembly to support a green economy transition. Furthermore, the document recommends additional actions to better integrate green economy issues into the national development planning processes and achieve ownership by stakeholders and institutions.

PAGE representatives provided members of the CESE a briefing on the partnership and discussed strategies and policies to achieve inclusive and green growth in the context of Senegal’s national sustainable development priorities. The information provided by PAGE partners will enable CESE to better advocate for IGE in future consultations with the President of the Republic, the National Assembly or the Government of Senegal on policies and programmes that have bearings from the promotion of a greener economy in Senegal.

 

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