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UNDP Joins Partnership for Action on Green Economy, Bringing New Resources and Opportunities for Countries
June 26, 2014

Nairobi, Kenya, 26 June 2014 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)  joined the UN-led partnership on green economy at an event held during the first United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), bringing new resources and opportunities to countries interested in shifting towards more inclusive, low-carbon, resource-efficient models of growth.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was launched last year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). PAGE aims to support 30 countries over the next six years in inclusive green economy transitions that will generate new jobs and skills, promote clean technologies, and reduce environmental risks and poverty.

"It is clear that growth and prosperity can, and indeed must, be achieved within the safe operating space of a resource-constrained world," said Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UNEP, speaking on behalf of the founding PAGE partners. "PAGE is one key route to such a sustainable model for the future, and the inclusion of UNDP, with its extensive expertise and knowledge base, as a full partner offers countries new opportunities to develop their green economy policies and capacity."

Specifically, the agreement with UNDP will enhance PAGE's efforts to support country-owned inclusive green economy transitions. Those transitions include longer-term programmatic mainstreaming and capacity development approaches to help eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities; expanded engagement with key government, private and civil society stakeholders; and additional options for joint programmes, leveraging of innovative financing, and South-South knowledge sharing and learning.

"UNDP is proud to join the global PAGE initiative which, through its expertise and resources, assists countries in shifting towards inclusive green economies," said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark. "With its on-the-ground presence in more than 170 countries and territories, UNDP is well-positioned to link its programmes on environment, as well as on poverty eradication, gender and governance, to ensure PAGE achieves its desired impact."

PAGE is a response to the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20): The Future We Want. It recognizes the green economy as a vehicle for sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Governments at Rio+20 called on UN agencies to support countries interested in accelerating their transition to an inclusive green economy, in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Currently, PAGE is cooperating with five countries: Burkina Faso, Mauritius, Mongolia, Peru and Senegal.

Other countries - from Barbados to Mexico and Nepal to South Africa - are already advancing green initiatives that will contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future.

 

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National Consultation on the POST-2015 Development Agenda: Engaging with the private sector in Mongolia: Strengthening the Contribution of SMEs for Sustainable Development
June 17, 2014

1.Background/Context

The Post‐2015 Development Agenda presents a historic opportunity for the international community to engage the private sector in a dialogue exploring how businesses can best contribute to global sustainability. At the same time, it is a golden opportunity for the business community to elevate their missions and strategies to align with the Post‐2015 vision, fostering innovation, finding solutions and allowing for transformational partnerships to be formed to benefit the society and economy, as well as drive business success.

The Secretary‐General has requested that the UN system builds on the outcomes of consultations already conducted, keeping channels of debate and engagement open as the intergovernmental process moves into its next phase, and that the private sector be strongly engaged. While the first round of consultations on the Post‐2015 Development Agenda focused on the potential issues and areas to be included in a Post‐2015 Development Agenda, the second round of consultations will address the implementation mechanisms.

The UN Country Team in Mongolia supported a round of Post 2015 consultations in Mongolia with various stakeholders, including youth, local representatives, elderly, children, women, and persons with disabilities in December 2012‐May 2013. The consultations were structured around the three thematic pillars of economy, social development and environment and brought together nearly 2000 people from different stakeholder groups across the country. Their voices were captured in a national report which was shared with the High Level Panel and found reflection in their final report to the UN Secretary General.

In the second round of Post 2015 discussions, the UNCT in Mongolia has decided to consult with the

Private Sector with the strong belief that the Private Sector in Mongolia is a key driving force of the economy and economic diversification.

Globally, the co‐leads of the consultations for Private Sector, UNIDO and the UN Global Compact, have identified the following themes to be addressed. The selection of themes was based upon an assessment of the results from the former consultations, i.e. where more information was needed, as well as an interest in addressing components from more than one of the Business Engagement

Architecture’s building blocks:

  • Developing Government Policies that Drive Corporate Sustainability
  • Enhancing Partnerships
  • Mobilizing Private Sustainability Finance
  • Localizing the Architecture for SME Engagement
  • Building Trust through Enhanced Transparency and Accountability
  • Cross‐cutting elements – gender, youth, human rights and global inequalities

The consultations will result in a meeting report that will be publicized on a dedicated website. The Consultations are planned for the period of mid‐June to end August 2014.

UNIDO and the UN Global Compact will use the results of the individual consultations to prepare global report, “Continuing Inclusive Dialogue on the Post‐2015 Development Agenda: Engaging with the Private Sector”, which will be submitted to the Secretary‐General. This report will inform the various processes related to the definition of the Post‐2015 Development Agenda as well as feed into the Secretary General’s synthesis report

2. Objectives and key content for exploration of national consultations

Mongolia has developed the Green Development Strategy by which the country is committed to a transition to a low carbon economy that will not only develop programmes to conserve its natural,

cultural and historical heritage but will also focus on sustainable human development and environment friendly processes. Under the Strategy the country plans to implement Green Economy mechanisms for the public and private sectors that will enable green financing and investment and develop knowledge based on a multi‐pillar economic structure.

The UN Partnership for Action Green Economy (PAGE)1 is being implemented in Mongolia to support the country in its transition to greener and more inclusive economy. The UN PAGE inception and capacity building workshop was held in November 2013 and one of the findings of the workshop was that Mongolia has just emerged from a regulated economy after the end of the communist era, hence the private sector, which is expected to play a significant role in the transition to green economy, is still developing. The success of the Green Development strategy will hinge on the ability of the private sector operate in a sustainable manner and the development of a competitive value‐chain through networks of productive and efficient SMEs. The Public Private Partnership (PPP) which will serve as a consultative platform to develop appropriate strategies for implementing green development will need to be nurtured and strengthened. Hence the relevance of the planned consultation to engage the private sector in the implementation of the post‐2015 development agenda.

In Mongolia, UNIDO will support the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team to organize a round of consultations with the private sector on the following areas:

  • Building Trust through Enhanced Transparency and Accountability
  • Localizing the Architecture for SME Engagement.

While focus in both areas will be the issues of environmental sustainability and social responsibility, cross‐cutting elements (eg gender, youth, human rights and inequality) will also be considered across the whole consultation. Further information on the thematic areas is included in separate papers prepared by the co‐leads to facilitate the consultations.

The MDGs have been predominately implemented by governments, and the Post‐2015 Development Agenda is not comprehensively known among the private sector. For this reason, the consultations will also be used to raise awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the development agenda of the UN, as well as the role of the private sector in implementing the to‐be‐agreed SDGs.

The consultations will involve relevant government officials as well as business representatives from a diversity of sectors in order to capture a balanced perspective with regard to the role of the private sector in implementing the post 2015 development agenda.

1. PAGE is a 7‐year programme responding to the Rio+20’s call for the UN system to support countries interested in pursuing green economy policies. It will deploy the joint expertise of four UN agencies – ILO, UNEP, UNIDO, and UNITAR – to progressively assist a total of 30 countries in their efforts to embark on green economy pathways. The collective endeavour ranges from mobilizing social awareness and providing specialized training to identifying critical bottlenecks, formulating and assessing policy options, and enabling policy implementation for greening the economy. The programme also includes global and regional level capacity development, knowledge creation and sharing, and high‐level policy dialogues, all to enrich and strengthen country level assistance.

2. In May 2014 the PAGE Partners in collaboration with national counterparts organized a second National Workshop to Advance Green Economy in Mongolia. The workshop provided the forum for an update on the Green Development Strategy and other relevant policy development in Mongolia and reviewed the pertinent issues emanating from the Green Development Strategy stocktaking and green jobs mapping that was undertaken under the PAGE programme. The workshop already discussed five initial priority work streams initiated under PAGE and agreed on further actions.

3. Methodology

Consultations and subsequent activities in Mongolia will be structured along the following principle stages:

  • Background information collection of what has already being done/implemented in Mongolia in the selected thematic areas.
  • Kick‐off meeting with private sector representatives and organizations to:

a. introduce the Post 2015 framework, MDGs and SDGs in order to increase awareness at both the private sector and Government levels on the Post 2015 development agenda

b. seek support and participation in the national consultations

c. identify lead private sector organizations to organize the 2 national consultations

  • Two consultation meetings (one for each theme) in Ulaanbaatar led by a private sector
  • representative organization (e.g., business councils, associations etc.)
  • Preparation of the final report

4. Deliverables:

Key messages and recommendations elaborated on the basis of the discussions at the two national consultations with the Private Sector as well as the background information collected. These messages and recommendations will provide input for the final consultation report on “Continuing Inclusive Dialogue on the Post‐2015 Development Agenda: Engaging with the Private Sector” that will be submitted by UNIDO and the UN Global Compact and presented at the Sixty‐Ninth Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2014.

5. Roles and Responsibilities:

The co‐leads of the consultations – UNIDO and the Global Compact – will support the Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team, who will be facilitating the national consultations. National Consultant(s) will be hired by the RC/UNCT to implement specific activities, if deemed necessary.

6. Timeline:

Activities: 

  • Kick‐off meeting with private sector representatives, Period: 4 June 2014, Responsible party: RC
  • Background information collection of what has already being done/implemented in Mongolia in the selected thematic areas, 1‐30 June 2014, RC/ National Consultants with technical backstopping by UNIDO
  • Two consultation meetings in Ulaanbaatar, 9‐20 June 2014, Focal business organization with support of National Consultants and technical backstopping of UNIDO. 
  • Preparation of the final report,15 July 2014, UNIDO/National Consultants

For further inquiries please contact :

Ms. Amar Tsetsegmaa, UN Coordination Specialist by email tsetsegmaa.amar@one.un.org or phone 976 11 327 585 ext 113.

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Official launch of PAGE in Burkina Faso and Senegal
June 9, 2014

In response to requests by the governments of Burkina Faso and Senegal, the ILO, UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO and UNITAR jointly launched PAGE in the two countries in view of supporting national efforts to transition to greener economies

Burkina Faso welcomed a joint inception mission in June 2014 by representatives of all five PAGE organizing partners (ILO, UNEP, UNDP, UNIDO, UNITAR). Working at the policy and strategic levels, with various government departments, social partners and development agencies, PAGE in Burkina Faso will support government policy objectives under the Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Sustainable Development (SCADD) and the National Policy on Sustainable Development. It builds on work already undertaken through the UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) and a recently launched SWITCH Africa Green programme, which all address complementary dimensions of stimulating green investments and policy reforms to deliver sustainable growth, job creation and poverty eradication. PAGE actions in Burkina Faso will also seek to pave the way for Burkina Faso to become a United Nations “Delivering as One” country in the coming years. Mr. Salif Ouedraogo, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, stressed the importance of turning the notion of green economy into transformational and operational change in key areas of the economy and society in Burkina Faso.

In Senegal, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Mr. Mor N’gom officially launched the PAGE partnership on the occasion of the World Environment Day on June 5, in the presence of representatives of PAGE agencies. The partnership will operate within the framework of the “Plan Senegal Emergent” (PSE), the country’s development framework for 2014-2024. PAGE partners aim to contribute to the implementation of a national programme on green jobs, promote green industrialisation and institutional capacity building on green economy through a hub of knowledge institutions as well as the network of SIYB (start and improve your business) trainers in Senegal. The UN Resident Coordinator in Senegal welcomed the initiative as an effective collaborative programme to advance sustainable development in Senegal.

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National Workshop in Mongolia Advances Green Development and Implementation of the PAGE
May 15, 2014

The 2014 National Implementation Workshop to Advance a Green Economy and Green Development in Mongolia took place on 15 -16 May 2014 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.  It brought together more than 100 participants from numerous ministries and government departments, UN agencies, universities, research centers, international organizations, as well as representatives from the private sector.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 15 May 2014 - The workshop was organized by the Government of Mongolia and the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a  joint initiative between UNEP, ILO, UNIDO, UNITAR, and UNDP. One of the main objectives of the workshop was to take stock of green development and PAGE implementation activities in Mongolia, seven months after the official launch of PAGE in November 2013, and to identify further PAGE actions for 2014 and beyond. The workshop was chaired by Mr. A. Enkhbat, Head of Division of Clean Technology and Science, Ministry of Environment and Green Development (MEGD), and national PAGE focal point in Mongolia.

In her opening remarks, Ms. S. Oyun, Minister of Environment and Green Development, highlighted the momentum in Mongolia to advance green development, referring in particular to the Green Development Strategy, which is expected to be adopted by Parliament in June 2014. “Green economy and green development are not only the priority for MEGD, but also becoming important for other ministries” Minister Oyun stated, citing the construction of green and energy efficient buildings as an example, where collaboration of Government, the private sector, and international partners such as PAGE is valuable to advance green development.

Mr. G. Batkhurel, Deputy Director of Development Policy, Strategic Planning and Regulation Department, Ministry of Economic Development (MED) referred to the new planning law under development, which will establish a comprehensive planning system at the national and local level to advance policy coherence, including for green development. The law has the potential to become one of the most significant piece of domestic legislation since Mongolia’s transition in the early 1990s.

Ms. Sezin Sinanoglu, UN Resident Coordinator and Senior PAGE Representative commended the Government on progress made since the launch of PAGE in November 2013, such as the establishment of a technical inter-agency PAGE committee, co-chaired by MEGD and the Ministry of Economic Development to guide implementation of PAGE activities. She also highlighted the value of mainstreaming green development and green economy objectives in key sectors.

Following panel presentations by various  Government ministries and private sectors organizations, the workshop took stock of activities and deliverables supported by PAGE during the inception phase and  identified follow-up action and next steps. Under the strategic policy analysis work area, the Economic Policy & Competitiveness Research Centre (EPCRC) presented key findings of a Green Economy Stock-taking and the Green Jobs Mapping reports prepared in 2014. The reports provide analytical input to the Mongolian Government to advance green development, put the Green Development strategy into the context of other development trends, and identify knowledge gaps and activities that need to be taken into account when setting priorities and determining objectives for PAGE interventions.

The two reports will be complemented by macro-economic modelling during the second half of 2014 undertaken through collaboration of MED, MEGD, and PAGE. The modelling is expected to provide an analysis of how various investment scenarios in a green economy can contribute to economic growth, job creation, and environmental sustainability in Mongolia. The current T21 Mongolia in Mongolia covers basic sectors. Under  PAGE, renewable energy, urban development, natural resource management and agriculture will be added to examine different investment and policy scenarios linked to the Green Development Strategy.

Complementary to strategic policy analysis, PAGE is responding in 2014 to a number of green development policy priorities identified by the Government of Mongolia. These work streams, which are led by respective government institutions include (1) Green and Energy Efficient Buildings (Ministry of Construction and Urban Development), (2) Sustainable Public Procurement (Ministry of Finance), (3) Green Economy Indicators (National Statistics Office, (4) Green Agriculture (Ministry of Agriculture), and (5) Green Economy Learning (Ministry of Education and Research).

The workshop concluded with a discussion on partnerships and presentations by development partners active in green and sustainable development in Mongolia. Presentations were made by representatives from the Swiss Development Cooperation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Asian Development Bank (ADC, the Germans Cooperation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Ecological Sequestration Trust, and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) . By engaging into a regular dialogue with development partners, PAGE is seeking to facilitate inter-linkages and synergies of international support for green development in Mongolia.

As a follow-up to the workshop, PAGE will support a range of activities in the second half of 2014, both in the strategic policy analysis work area, and in support of the substantive policy work-streams. These action and related medium term objectives of PAGE in Mongolia will be summarized in the 2014 National PAGE Implementation Report which is scheduled to be completed in June 2014.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a response to the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), entitled The Future We Want, which recognizes the green economy as a vehicle for sustainable development and poverty eradication. The four founding UN agencies of PAGE – the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – will provide a comprehensive suite of green economy services that will enable countries to transform their national economic structures to meet the growing demands and challenges of the 21st century. More specifically, PAGE will build enabling conditions in participating countries by shifting investment and policies towards the creation of a new generation of assets, such as clean technologies, resource efficient infrastructure, well-functioning ecosystems, green skilled labour and good governance. Mongolia joined the PAGE in 2013 as one of the first countries. Generous support for PAGE activities in 2014 has been provided by the Governments of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Republic of Korea.

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National Education and Training Institutions Gather in Mongolia to Advance Learning on Green Development
May 14, 2014

Mongolia, May 2014 - Representatives of some 30 Mongolian education and training institutions met for a one-day workshop to share information and discuss opportunities for advancing a strategic approach to green development learning in Mongolia.

This meeting was held in response to a request by the Government of Mongolia to give particular attention to green awareness-raising and learning in support of Mongolia’s efforts to advance green development.  It also provided input into the National 2014 Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Implementation Workshop on Mongolia, which followed on 15-16 May.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Sh. Purevsuren, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Environment and Green Development and Chair of the meeting, highlighted that the Government of Mongolia places  great importance on strengthening green awareness raising, education and training.

“Sustainable development is development for all and should reflect the characteristics and local needs. National education and research institutions therefore play a crucial role in overcoming the challenges that Mongolia faces in advancing green development”, Sh. Purevsuren emphasised.

Speaking on behalf of the PAGE partners, Nara Luvsan of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Moustapha Kamal Gueye from the International Labour Organization (ILO) introduced PAGE.  They reconfirmed the commitment of PAGE partners to accompany and support Mongolia in advancing green development through a range of services, from policy analysis and policy reform to policy implementation and related capacity development.
 

Ms. A. Tuya, Head of the Division Basic and Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education and Science, presented national education policies and ongoing green education projects, with a focus on children education in primary and secondary schools. She indicated that the meeting was timely because green education, learning and skills development is becoming increasingly important for the country. In addition, Ms. Tuya pointed out that national education policies can provide a framework for green development education and highlighted the importance of institutional capacity development, such as curriculum change and teachers education.

Presentations by six institutions provided a snapshot of ongoing and planned green education activities.  The speakers represented the Secretariat of Parliament, the National Development Institute, the Swiss Development Cooperation, the Mongolian National University, UNICEF and Eco Asia University.  The presentations highlighted a range of ongoing green learning activities and initiatives, as well as indicated the importance of scaling up green development learning as one of the foundations for green development in Mongolia. Target groups mentioned ranged from decision-makers in government and the private sector, to students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

The second part of the meeting focused on the development of a National Green Economy Learning Strategy in Mongolia within the framework of PAGE. Participants welcomed and supported the development of the National Strategy and expressed an interest in participating.  The perspectives shared indicated that the National Strategy creates, among others, an opportunity to:
 

  • Systemically identify learning needs of a wide range of target groups and stakeholders on various dimensions of green development
  • Align education and training efforts of national learning institutions with the principles of green and sustainable development and related Government policies
  • Address the gap of understanding about  green economy and development among decision makers in line ministries, parliament, aimags (regional level), etc
  • Improve  professional skills needed to shift from brown to green (e.g. in the building sector)
  • Scale up public awareness raising, curriculum change, and professional training 
  • Facilitate learning and experience sharing and avoid duplication of efforts
  • Raise the profile of green learning as foundation for a green transition in Mongolia
  • Guide capacity development and training services provided through PAGE
  • Scale up resources to support green learning from national and international sources.

The meeting also endorsed the establishment of a working group/task force to oversee and support the creation of the National Green Development Learning Strategy. This group could include representatives from government, education, training institutions, the private sector, civil society and other interested stakeholders.

The Senior Manager of Environment and Green Development at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Achim Halpaap, indicated that PAGE can provide seedfunding, as well as methodological and technical support, for the development of the strategy.  In addition, selected training and skills development activities are included under the priority work streams in the PAGE workplan.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a response to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) outcome document, entitled The Future We Want, which recognizes green economy as a vehicle for sustainable development and poverty eradication. The four founding UN agencies of PAGE – UNEP, ILO, UNITAR and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) – aims to provide a comprehensive suite of green economy services that will enable countries to transform their national economic structures to meet the growing demands and challenges of the 21st century.

More specifically, PAGE will facilitate enabling conditions in participating countries by encouraging a shift in investment and policies towards the creation of a new generation of assets, such as clean technologies, resource efficient infrastructure, well-functioning ecosystems, green skilled labour and good governance.

Mongolia was the first country to join PAGE in 2013. Generous support for PAGE activities in 2014 has been provided by the Governments of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Republic of Korea.

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Peru declares start of PAGE initiative
May 1, 2014

The Lima Declaration is outlining the country's plans to promote environmental sustainability, decent jobs, poverty reduction and human well-being.

Lima, Peru, April 2014 - Emphasizing the link that will strengthen relations between the Peruvian State, international cooperation agencies , private enterprise and civil society , Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal and the Minister of Labour Ana Jara signed the Declaration "Towards a Green Economy with Growth," which formalizes the start of the PAGE initiative in Peru.

With the presence of representatives of the International Labour Organization ( ILO), the United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO ), the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR ) and the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ), both Ministers stressed the importance of Peru being selected along with 29 other pilot countries to promote the transition to a green economy. The announcement was first made in March at a global Conference on the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), which was held in Dubai.

"We must recognize that the world, with initiatives such as PAGE, begins to harvest and consolidate a process of more than 40 years, which have generated incremental changes to be able to convince you that it is intrinsic to the development of sustainability resources, " said Minister Pulgar-Vidal. He noted that 25 years ago, the term Sustainable Development was first coined and today it is a concept increasingly rooted in both the public and private sector.

In turn, Minister Jara stressed that in the first year of operation, the PAGE initiative will seek to identify gaps and opportunities for learning, and to connect key sectors to the most appropriate partners to show the value ​​of the green economy. "Peru has enjoyed high economic growth, but there are still ecological threats that can reverse these results," she said. To avoid this happening, decent employment and retraining of job skills are needed, she said.

In conclusion, the Environment Minister recalled that the UN climate talks, set to take place later this year in Lima, will be a platform to promote this type of discussions. " The climate issue is increasingly present as a result of the financial and economic crisis, which is also ideological . Therefore, PAGE opens the door to debate about what we should consider as green growth, and it is an element of our new vision for development as well, "he concluded.

As a designated PAGE country, Peru will be supported through four components: i ) applied research and knowledge creation ; ii ) policy dialogue with government officials and other high-level stakeholders; iii ) capacity building , education and training ; and iv ) advisory services to countries on issues of green economy.

Click here to have a look at the photos and the video of the event.

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Strengthening Human Resource Capacities in Mongolia for Advancing Green Development
May 1, 2014

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, May 2014 - Representatives of some 30 Mongolian education and training institutions met for a one-day workshop to share information and discuss opportunities for advancing a strategic approach to green development learning in Mongolia.

This meeting was held in response to a request by the Government of Mongolia to give particular attention to green awareness-raising and learning in support of Mongolia’s efforts to advance green development. It also provided input into the National 2014 Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Implementation Workshop on Mongolia, which followed.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Sh. Purevsuren, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Environment and Green Development and Chair of the meeting, highlighted that the Government of Mongolia places great importance on strengthening green awareness raising, education and training. “Sustainable development is development for all and should reflect the characteristics and local needs. National education and research institutions therefore play a crucial role in overcoming the challenges that Mongolia faces in advancing green development”, Sh. Purevsuren emphasised.

Speaking on behalf of the PAGE partners, Nara Luvsan of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Moustapha Kamal Gueye from the International Labour Organization (ILO) introduced PAGE. They reconfirmed the commitment of PAGE partners to accompany and support Mongolia in advancing green development through a range of services, from policy analysis and policy reform to policy implementation and related capacity development.

Ms. A. Tuya, Head of the Division Basic and Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education and Science, presented national education policies and ongoing green education projects, with a focus on children education in primary and secondary schools. She indicated that the meeting was timely because green education, learning and skills development is becoming increasingly important for the country. In addition, Ms. Tuya pointed out that national education policies can provide a framework for green development education and highlighted the importance of institutional capacity development, such as curriculum change and teachers education.

Presentations by six institutions provided a snapshot of ongoing and planned green education activities. The speakers represented the Secretariat of Parliament, the National Development Institute, the Swiss Development Cooperation, the Mongolian National University, UNICEF and Eco Asia University. The presentations highlighted a range of ongoing green learning activities and initiatives, as well as indicated the importance of scaling up green development learning as one of the foundations for green development in Mongolia. Target groups mentioned ranged from decision-makers in government and the private sector, to students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

The second part of the meeting focused on the development of a National Green Economy Learning Strategy in Mongolia within the framework of PAGE. Participants welcomed and supported the development of the National Strategy and expressed an interest in participating. The perspectives shared indicated that the National Strategy creates, among others, an opportunity to:

  • Systemically identify learning needs of a wide range of target groups and stakeholders on various dimensions of green development;
  • Align education and training efforts of national learning institutions with the principles of green and sustainable development and related Government policies;
  • Address the gap of understanding about green economy and development among decision makers in line ministries, parliament, aimags (regional level), etc.;
  • Improve professional skills needed to shift from brown to green (i.e. in the building sector);
  • Scale up public awareness raising, curriculum change and professional training;
  • Facilitate learning and sharing experiences, and avoid duplication of efforts;
  • Raise the profile of green learning as a foundation for a green transition in Mongolia;
  • Guide capacity development and training services provided through PAGE; and,
  • Scale up resources to support green learning from national and international sources.

The meeting also endorsed the establishment of a working group/task force to oversee and support the creation of the National Green Development Learning Strategy. This group could include representatives from government, education, training institutions, the private sector, civil society and other interested stakeholders.

The Senior Manager of Environment and Green Development at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Achim Halpaap, indicated that PAGE can provide seedfunding, as well as methodological and technical support, for the development of the strategy. In addition, selected training and skills development activities are included under the priority work streams in the PAGE workplan.

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Mauritius announces start of Partnership for Action on Green Economy
April 7, 2014

Mauritius, April 2014 - The Government of Mauritius announced its participation in the UN-led Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) today at a press conference, which also highlighted the work of a green economy fiscal policy assessment underway.

Simon Springett, the UN Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme representative presented a letter to Mr Osman Mohamed, the Executive Chairman of the Commission on Maurice Ile Durable (MID), which was signed by UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme environment for development (UNEP) Achim Steiner on behalf of all the PAGE partners, confirming support for Mauritius under the UN-led initiative.

The PAGE programme is a response to the UN Rio+20 Conference’s outcome document, entitled "The Future We Want," which recognizes the green economy as a vehicle for sustainable development and eradication of poverty and calls on the United Nations to assist countries interested in making the transition.

By 2020, PAGE plans to support the development and implementation of national green economy strategies in 30 countries, while promoting new jobs and clean technologies and reducing the environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

Mauritius is now one of five countries participating in PAGE, along with Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Peru and Senegal.

The four founding partners of PAGE -- UNEP, ILO, UNIDO and UNITAR -- offer a comprehensive range of green economy services to enable countries to transform their economic structures and meet the growing challenges of the 21st century.

The green economy fiscal policy assessment currently underway in Mauritius is part of a UNEP project, which intends to inform the country’s green economy plans and contribute to its long-term sustainable development objectives.

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UNEP and UAE Agree to Cooperate on Environmental Issues
March 5, 2014

Dubai, 4 March 2014 - United Nations Under-Secretary-General Achim Steiner and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Environment and Water, Dr Rashid Ahmed Mohammed Bin Fahad,  signed a wide-ranging agreement to cooperate on urgent environmental issues.

Signed during the first international Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) conference, held in Dubai, the agreement enhances collaboration between UNEP and a nation that has already shown its commitment to environmental issues.

The deal is expected to assist the UAE in implementing its Vision 2021 and Green Growth Strategy.

The agreement covers UNEP's priority areas of Climate Change, Disasters and Conflicts, Ecosystem Management, Governance, Harmful Substances and Hazardous Waste, Resource Efficiency and Environment under Review.

It also brings in other cross-cutting areas such as environmental education, communication and outreach, the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, and environment and sports.

UNEP will, among other actions, provide consultations on the UAE's environmental reports related to the environment, cooperate on capacity building of institutions and local communities, and assist in implementation of collaborative projects and programmes. UNEP's Regional Office for West Asia, headed by Iyad Abumoghli, will manage the cooperation.

Mr. Steiner also signed a funding agreement with the Republic of Korea Deputy Minister of Environment, Mr. Lee Jae-Hyun, on behalf of PAGE. The country was one of the first supporters of PAGE, which aims to assist countries interested in transitioning to a green economy.

At the conference, donors including Finland, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden and Switzerland pledged over $11 million in support of PAGE activities.

The event attracted more than 30 ministers of finance, environment, labour and trade from around the world in addition to high-level UN officials, international experts, representatives from the business community and civil society.

PAGE is currently supporting five countries to shift investment and policies towards a new generation of assets that include clean technologies and resource-efficient infrastructure, green jobs and healthy ecosystems. PAGE aims to extend its support to a total of 30 countries by 2020.

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GLOBAL GREEN ECONOMY PARTNERSHIP CALLS FOR NEW ECONOMIC PARADIGM
March 6, 2014

Fundamental Shift in Investment Needed to Green Jobs, Industry and Trade Dubai

Dubai, 4-5 March 2014 - Countries that have begun to embrace a green economy approach say that they realize a fundamental change in national planning and investment is required to reach their sustainable development and poverty eradication ambitions.

More than 450 participants from 66 countries – including 27 ministers - presented their national perspectives at the first global conference on the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), an initiative led by the United Nations to support countries making the transition to an inclusive, low-carbon and resource-efficient economy.

Video: Achim Steiner's speech at the conference.

Earlier at the conference, it was confirmed that donors had provided more than US $11 million to support country-level action under PAGE, and three new countries – Burkina Faso, Mauritius and Senegal – would join Mongolia and Peru to benefit from the initiative.

The Minister of Environment and Water of the United Arab Emirates, Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, who hosted the two-day event from 4-5 March 2014, on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, noted the enormous challenges and benefits for countries embarking on this pathway.

Highlighting the sense of urgency expressed by delegates, the Minister said: “Fundamental changes in terms of attitudes, behaviors and partnerships are required. Business as usual is not an option. While each country must forge its own green economy pathway, based on its own national priorities and natural assets, sharing these different approaches will help to distill the lessons and good practices, and encourage other countries to embark on this journey.”

Speaking on behalf of the founding PAGE partners – ILO, UNEP, UNIDO and UNITAR, Peter Poschen, Director of the Enterprises Department at the ILO, said: “The inaugural PAGE Conference is proof that countries are seeing the value of adopting green economy pathways as part of their development strategies, as well as the benefits of working in partnership. The private sector needs to be on board to green businesses, make industry resourceefficient and seize opportunities for sustainable trade. One of the key benefits of shifting to a green economy is that can create more and better jobs. However, the transition can only occur if it is underpinned by comprehensive changes in government plans and policies, including fiscal policy reforms that improve human well-being as well as the environment..”

More specifically when promoting green jobs, Mr Poschen added: “There is a tendency to overlook the opportunity of upgrading existing jobs. The quality is critical for green jobs. Only decent jobs can both green the economy and advance social development. Green economy strategies should be grounded in the concern for more social inclusion, especially for youth, but also women who are increasingly becoming both agents for change and beneficiaries of the transformation.“

The PAGE initiative was launched last year after the Rio+20 global summit on sustainable development called on the United Nations to support countries in their transition to greener and inclusive economies. The initiative is supported by the Friends of PAGE, a group of countries committed to supporting nations seeking assistance to transform their economies.

The Chair’s Summary of the PAGE Conference states: “PAGE has been tasked to become the major vehicle to facilitate this change and keep countries connected through continued knowledge sharing and mutual support. This conference has marked the beginning of building the green economy bridge between countries and the international community. Through this conference and your many enriching contributions and suggestions, PAGE is now much better equipped to accompany the countries taking up green economy strategies.”

Some of the other key issues and recommendations identified included: Green industrial policies need to address both the greening of industries and the creation of new green manufacturing and services, and be part of an overall national strategy promoting a transition to a green economy.

On trade, evidence was presented that shows greener trade creates decent jobs and resource efficient production methods, increasing competitiveness and creating new trade opportunities, which enhance social development. While the use of certification, sustainability standards and green innovation are all contributing to building a business case for a green economy, participants emphasized that governments transitioning to a green economy needed to consider the impacts of trade has on the country’s natural resources.

How to measure a green economy was the focus of another breakout session, and a new working paper published by UNEP, Using Green Economy Indicators for Policymaking, was highlighted.

On finance and fiscal policy, participants noted that some critical success factors for governments to promote green private sector investments include establishing clear rules that demonstrate a longterm vision and political commitment, as well as reduce uncertainties and risks for green private sector investments. For example, South Africa is one of the countries that is identifying incentives for investors.

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Statement by Achim Steiner at UAE-hosted Inaugural Conference on Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)
March 4, 2014

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy, or PAGE, is a direct response to the call made in paragraph 66 of the Rio+20 Outcome document for cooperation within the UN system to assist countries in their transitions to a green economy.

Your Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai

Your Excellency Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water,

Excellencies,

Esteemed colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the United Nations PAGE partners, I would like to first express my deep appreciation to the Government of the United Arab Emirates - and especially to His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Minister Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad - for graciously hosting the inaugural PAGE conference; allowing countries to exchange experiences and create opportunities for a more prosperous and sustainable world.

Almost two years ago, at Rio+20, more than 190 nations gave the green light to an inclusive Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy, or PAGE, is a direct response to the call made in paragraph 66 of the Rio+20 Outcome document for cooperation within the UN system to assist countries in their transitions to a green economy. It is an inter-agency initiative founded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). More UN agencies continue to support this effort, and we hope to soon announce the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as a fifth partner.

By taking a country by country approach, PAGE will catalyze up to 30 national economies between now and 2020, and thus contribute to the global transition to a sustainable future for all. The Partnership has the potential to help countries improve human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities in line with their own national development priorities.

In this context, I would like to salute the efforts of the donor community - Finland, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden and Switzerland - who collectively managed to raise well over US $11 million in support of PAGE activities at the national level.

Today, countries such as Burkina Faso, Peru, Mauritius, Mongolia, and Senegal are set to boost their economies through a shift of investment and policies towards a new generation of assets that include clean technologies and resource efficient infrastructure, green skilled labour, well-functioning ecosystems, and good governance. Such a transformation will pay significant dividends in social, environmental and economic terms.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In the wake of the global financial crisis, it has become increasingly evident that generating growth and prosperity can and must be achieved within the ecological boundaries of a resource-constrained world.

Lifting the world's 1.2 billion poorest to a life of dignity will require financing, innovation, technology transfer and capacity building, along with effective governance and mutually beneficial partnerships at all levels.

UNEP research suggests that an investment scenario of allocating 2 per cent of global GDP to greening economic sectors will produce a higher global GDP within 10 years, compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

A package of green investments - coupled with policy reforms that are aimed at making growth socially inclusive - offers economically viable options to reduce poverty and hunger, and address challenges of climate change and degradation of natural resources, while simultaneously providing new and sustainable pathways to economic development and prosperity.

The share of the poor in global GDP is marginal and is reduced with the erosion of natural capital. The share of the bottom 40 per cent of the population in global wealth remains less than 5 per cent. It is this segment of humanity which overwhelmingly lives on small farms, coastal areas and around forests, and depends on natural capital for their livelihoods, nutrition, health, employment, income, wealth creation opportunities as well as a safety net.

Degradation of natural resources creates a poverty trap, which leads to a reinforcing loop of further degradation and worsening poverty.

Natural capital is essential for sustainable economic development and accounts for a quarter of wealth created in low income countries.

Any reduction in natural capital stocks negatively affects the well-being of the poor disproportionately and leads to growing inequalities.

The dominant consumption pattern of affluent societies is a major stress on natural resources. According to a report by the International Resource Panel, total resource use grew eight-fold, from 6 billion tonnes in 1900 to 49 billion tonnes in 2000. By 2050, humanity could devour an estimated 140 billion tonnes of minerals, ores, fossil fuels and biomass per year - three times its current appetite - unless economic growth is "decoupled" from natural resources consumption.

Financing the Green Economy

Ladies and gentlemen,

The World Economic Forum estimates that an investment in infrastructure of approximately US$6 trillion annually is needed over the next 16 years to deliver a low-carbon economy. Of this, nearly US$1 trillion is over and above the business-as-usual trajectory.

Weeks ago, UNEP launched an Inquiry into policy options for guiding the global financial system to invest in the transition to a green economy.

The inquiry aims to engage, inform and guide policy makers, financial market actors and other stakeholders concerned with the health of the financial system and its potential for shaping the future economy. Ultimately, it will lay out a series of options for advancing a sustainable financial system.

While much of the world's private capital is locked up in carbon-intensive investment across the developed world, developing country investment in a low carbon future is on the rise. Clean energy investment originating from non-OECD countries soared from US $4.9 billion in 2004 to US $72.6 billion last year, peaking at US $257 billion in 2011.

Fiscal Policies

Fiscal policies are of particular importance in a green economy transition and governments have a variety of fiscal instruments at their disposal: taxing fossil fuel use or emissions in different sectors, reforming energy subsidies that promote wasteful and environmentally harmful economic activity, and supporting clean technology and sustainable production with the help of fiscal incentives. .

Constructive fiscal measures can reflect environmental externalities through full cost pricing of energy and transportation services. They can also provide a significant source of new revenue:

  • In the United States, for instance, it is estimated that a levy of US $25 per ton of CO2 could bring in about one percent of the country's GDP, or more than US $ 1trillion over a decade.
  • In 2010, Vietnam passed its first law on environmental taxation and it is expected to generate between US $757 million and US $3 billion.

Confronted by a fiscally constrained world, fiscal policy reforms might appear to be a daunting challenge to a green economy transition. Yet, it has been observed in the past that external crises - be they fiscal, economic or environmental - may speed up policy reform.

But in order to promote green and more inclusive growth, the design of fiscal policies should consider potential social impact on low income households. Strengthening social safety nets when applying fiscal policy reforms would not only increase social and political acceptability of fiscal reforms but could also contribute to an equitable and fair transition to a green economy.

Energy Subsidies

Globally, the cost of energy subsidization is high and accounts for a significant part of GDP annually. Petroleum subsidies alone, for instance, amounted to US $200 billion in 2011.

It is estimated that removing US $500 billion of fossil fuel subsidies could boost the global economy by around 0.3 per cent. In addition to the potential fiscal benefits, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies in developing and emerging economies could reduce global GHG emissions by 6 per cent in 2050.

When considering that out of the US $409 billion spent on fossil-fuel consumption subsidies in 2010, only US $35 billion, or 8 per cent, reached the poorest income quintile (the bottom 20 per cent), energy subsidies appear to perform poorly as a means of supporting the incomes of poor social groups.

Environmental Taxes

Environmental taxes are an effective and, if appropriately designed, efficient tool for environmental policy. They can also be leveraged to generate private financing. Evidence shows that fiscal instruments have helped increase green investment. Carbon taxes could direct investment towards cleaner technologies and encourage energy efficiency.

Green Trade

The Rio+20 conference identified international trade as an engine for development, sustained economic growth and the transition to a greener economy.

Many developing countries are well positioned to gain from mainstreaming sustainability considerations in their trade-driven growth strategies, including through the export of certified commodities in the fisheries, forests or agriculture sectors, increased investments in sustainable production and supply chains, or the expansion of eco-tourism.

For example, the Bio-trade sector in Peru has grown by 20 per cent in the last five years - generating significant revenue and promoting sustainable development, while simultaneously supporting pro-poor development.

The Green Economy transition opens up new opportunities for regional and global trade. For example, the global market in low-carbon and energy efficient technologies is projected to nearly triple to US $2.2 trillion by 2020.

UNEP is working with partners to provide demand-driven policy advice, technical assistance and capacity-building to countries who wish to use international trade as an engine for a green economy transition.

Opportunities Across Developing Economies

South-South Cooperation can deliver environmental capacity building and technology support to developing countries and regions in the South that wish to make a transition to a green economy.

Drawing on shared economic, environmental and social aspirations, South-South Cooperation helps identify solutions to today's sustainable development challenges, as well as deliver new ideas and resources to advance the global transformation to an inclusive green economy.

Around the world, the Green Economy transformation is already underway:

  • In Tunisia, an innovative financial mechanism has provided incentives for households to switch to solar-powered water heaters.
  • In Kenya the government's attractive feed-in tariffs have encouraged key industries to become more energy efficient, while delivering energy to rural communities. Africa's largest Geothermal Power Station, Olkaria generates over 150 Megawatts (MW) into the national grid, with Kenya aiming for 1200 MW by 2018.
  • In Borneo, where extractive industries and population pressures threaten the largest intact expanse of tropical forest in South-East Asia, a multi-stakeholder initiative supported by Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia is helping conserve the island's natural capital as a key component of its development plan, while recognizing its global contribution to reducing CO2 emissions
  • The United Arab Emirates' Blue Carbon Demonstration Project connects the local natural coastal ecosystem management with climate change mitigation as part of a global effort to determine the role of coastal habitats in climate change mitigation.
  • In Senegal, investment in clean energy will increase the use of renewable sources for power generation by 30 per cent in the next 20 years and create between 7000 to 30,000 green jobs in the construction and renewable energy sectors.
  • In Ghana, organic farming could yield a 30 per cent increase in jobs per hectare. Policies and strategies are being developed towards that end. At the same time, conservation agriculture is helping reduce land disturbance and deforestation, which would lead to emissions reduction.
  • In 2012, the African Development Bank raised US $2.2 billion to address climate change, a 50 per cent increase to the previous year. More than 90 per cent of the approved projects were green. The Bank's inaugural "green bond" raised US $550 million in global investment within 24 hours.
  • In 2008, British Columbia adopted a carbon tax covering all fossil fuels (including gasoline, diesel, propane, natural gas and coal. Since the tax was introduced, fossil fuel consumption per capita declined by 17.4% between the 2007-2008 base year and 2011/2012 and British Columbia now has the lowest per capita fuel use of any province in Canada. Moreover, the carbon tax was designed to be revenue neutral - revenue generated from the tax has been used to reduce income taxes and to offer tax credits to the poor. In fact, the government of British Columbia was able to provide $500 million more in income tax cuts than it collected in carbon tax to date.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Around the world, we are seeing a multiplicity of approaches and pathways to design and build greener economies.

To support such efforts, we need to remove barriers and to enable poor and vulnerable groups to participate in, contribute to and benefit from the transition.

For a credible and systematic transformation to take place, supportive policies, institutional and governance reforms and targeted investment at the local, national and global levels need to be put in place and scaled up as part of national development planning, based on national priorities.

The first ever UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) will take place in Nairobi this June as the highest level global platform for policy making feeding directly into the UN General Assembly, with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Post-2015 Development Agenda, including sustainable production and consumption.

I would like to invite you to engage with UNEA and use the platform to further action on the Green Economy.

With civil society, policy makers, government and the business sector under one roof, there is no better forum to build on the momentum created by the Dubai inaugural PAGE conference.

Once again, I thank the Government of the UAE for hosting this important event at this critical moment in time. I would also like to seize the opportunity to congratulate the UAE for its efforts to implement the UAE's Vision 2021 and the Green Growth Strategy, which it launched two years ago following the Rio+20 conference.

This first PAGE conference is a timely event and one that I hope will foster greater understanding and cooperation, expand the PAGE partnership and set a Green Economy pathway towards sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

Thank you.

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UAE to Host First Global Conference on UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy
November 1, 2013

Countries participating in PAGE outline benefits of national transition at South-South Expo

UAE, 1 November 2014 - To show its commitment to facilitating a global transformation to a green economy, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced this week that it will host the first global conference on the UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) from 4-5 March 2014.

The UAE extended this offer at the Partnership Forum on PAGE as part of the South-South Development Expo, being hosted by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) this week.  Panellists included officials from PAGE participating countries, Mongolia, Peru and the UAE, as well as representatives from the founding organizations: UNEP, ILO, UNIDO and UNITAR.

"I would like to thank the UAE for offering to host this important event. This week’s Global South-South Development Expo has underlined the enthusiasm and the action by so many countries towards an inclusive green economy transformation,” said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, said. “The conference next March in the UAE provides an opportunity for more nations to consider how joining the PAGE initiative can assist in their transition towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient, employment-generating economy.”

The inaugural PAGE conference, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, ruler of Dubai, demonstrates the UAE’s commitment to support and promote the adoption of the Green Economy at the international level. At the national level, the UAE Government is also advancing its green economy plans through its Ministry of Environment and Water, which is developing a road map and policy recommendations for the UAE Green Growth Strategy announced on January 2012 under the slogan “Green Economy for Sustainable Development”.

In addition, the UAE, in close collaboration with the PAGE partners, will invite high-level government representatives and policymakers to take part in the meeting, and has generously offered to fund up to 100 participants from low-income countries.

The conference will be an opportunity to review the progress on implementing the Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication following Rio+20, and also a chance to consider how greener economies can contribute to the emerging post-2015 development agenda and new global architecture for sustainability. Moreover, the conference will explore the context of the social benefits of transitioning to inclusive, environmentally friendly and resource-efficient green economies.

The PAGE partnership was launched earlier this year in response to country-led demand for support and training on how to implement green economy policies and best practices. The Rio+20 declaration, The Future We Want, also asked UN entities to support countries interested in making this transition by providing them with the tools and resources. 

Drawing on the expertise of its various members, PAGE assists participating states to build enabling conditions by shifting investment and policies towards the creation of a new generation of assets, such as clean technologies, resource-efficient infrastructure, well-functioning ecosystems, green skilled labour and good governance. 

As evidence has increasingly shown, transitioning to a green economy is at the heart of job creation, cleaner production, capacity building and natural resource management ? all of which are essential components for building a more sustainable future.

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New Green Economy Partnership Responds to Rio+20 Call for Action
February 13, 2014

Four UN Agencies to Assist 30 Countries in Transition to a Green Economy

13 february 2014 - A new partnership launched today by four UN agencies aims to support 30 countries over the next seven years in building national green economy strategies that will generate new jobs and skills, promote clean technologies, and reduce environmental risks and poverty.

The new Partnership for Action on Green Economy, or PAGE, is a response to theoutcomedocument of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), entitledThe Future We Want, which recognizes the green economy as a vehicle for sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Governments at Rio+20 called on UN agencies to support countries interested in accelerating their transition to an inclusive green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

The four UN agencies – the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – will provide a comprehensive suite of green economy services that will enable countries to transform their national economic structures to meet the growing demands and challenges of the 21st century.

“This is yet another example of how UNEP with partners is implementing the outcomes of Rio+20. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy will work with countries to catalyze change at the national level, assisting  them with targeted economic and policy instruments and training that will accelerate their green economy transition across sectors ranging from clean energy to sustainable agriculture,” said Achim Steiner, UN Under Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director. “With the support of PAGE, developing countries in particular can put in place the policies needed to reap the economic and environmental benefits of an inclusive, resource-efficient, low-carbon pathway, and avoid the risks and shocks of carbon-intensive infrastructures.”

From Barbados to Mexico and Nepal to South Africa, many countries are already advancing green initiatives that will contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future.

Germany, Kenya and the Republic of Korea, among other states, have set out radical changes in their energy policies to harness the power of renewables, and reinvest in their natural capital. Lebanon and Madagascar are working to rebuild their agro-industries, while other countries – like Peru and Senegal – are focused on developing more capacity and green jobs.  

As The Future We Want recommends, PAGE will encourage “the implementation of green economy policies by countries that seek to apply them for the transition towards sustainable development as a common undertaking.” 

More specifically, PAGE will build enabling conditions in participating countries by shifting investment and policies towards the creation of a new generation of assets, such as clean technologies, resource efficient infrastructure, well-functioning ecosystems, green skilled labour and good governance.

“ILO estimates that at least half of the global workforce – or 1.5 billion people – could be affected in some way by the transition to a green economy,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.  “PAGE aims to embed the right policies and opportunities at the national level as countries move forward with their inclusive green economy plans, and thus ensure this transition creates more and better jobs and benefits all of society”. 

“Promoting green and clean new industries, and helping existing industries become more resource-efficient, will be a key focus of the partnership,” said Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director General of UNIDO.  “While business and industry should be aligned with national green economy efforts, governments need to set the parameters in order for business to thrive.”

“Advancing green economies in the context of poverty eradication creates unprecedented needs and opportunities for learning and skills development,’ said Sally Fegan-Wyles, Director ad Interim of UNITAR.  “PAGE addresses this challenge, by offering a suite of learning programmes and by strengthening capacities of national research and training institutions to ensure sustainability.”

The four agencies have previously undertaken joint green initiatives. However, this is the first time that all four partners have come together to coordinate their support, expertise and resources at the national level. During the first two years of the partnership, PAGE will focus on seven pilot countries, yet to be named, and scale up this support to a total of 30 countries by 2020.  

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Partnership for Action on Green Economy
September 18, 2013

September 2013 - The new UN partnership, PAGE, which aims to assist countries interested in accelerating their green economy strategies recently held a special event at the UN Headquarters to share the latest plans and national developments.

More than 60 delegates attended the event, with explored “Rio+20: From Outcome to Action – Partnering for Action on Green Economy”.  UNEP Director Elliot Harris joined representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIDO) and the United Nations Institute and Research (UNITAR), which are the four founding UN agencies of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy or PAGE. 

Presentations from all four partners focused on the value-added from each agency, with UNEP noting the Rio+20 outcome and the need to “deliver as One UN”.  ILO highlighted unsustainable pathways and the provision of assessment tools, while UNIDO examined sustainable industrial development, the greening of industry and the work with UNEP on cleaner production and resource efficiency.  Also, UNITAR presented their e-learning and other capacity building programmes, which will contribute to PAGE. 

The Rio+20 Declaration – The Future We Want – recognized a green economy as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development and poverty eradication.  It called on the United Nations to support interested countries in creating/promoting/developing greener and more inclusive economies. In response to this call for action, UNEP, ILO, UNIDO and UNITAR initiated PAGE as a voluntary and demand-driven mechanism of support to meet the increasing requests from countries seeking to develop and implement inclusive green economy strategies.

By harnessing the expertise and resources of the different UN agencies and their partners, PAGE intends to be a conduit for a full range of customized support services -- from social mobilization and capacity development to economic assessment, investment and policy formulation, as well as creating and sharing knowledge.

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E-learning Course on Green Economy
August 28, 2013

The concept of a green economy enjoys increasing international attention, as countries explore new patterns of development taking into account economic, social and environmental sustainability considerations. To address this challenge, UNITAR is working closely with UNEP, ILO and UNIDO in a new Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), focusing on national capacity development. Together with PAGE partners, UNITAR is delivering the e-learning course “Introduction to a Green Economy: Concepts and Applications”, from 21 October to 13 December 2013.

Environmental managers, academics, private sector representatives and interested citizens. It aims at enhancing participants’ knowledge of different concepts and facets of the green economy, as well as global, national and sector-specific challenges and opportunities to advance low-carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive development. Additionally, the future e-students will begin to develop basic skills for applying the green economy concept in a real world economic, policy and/or personal context.

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the economic, environmental and social benefits of transitioning to a green  economy
  • Identify enabling conditions for greening national economies
  • Provide examples of successful green economy investments, initiatives and projects
  • Identify principal challenges and opportunities for greening key economic sectors
  • Describe national planning processes in support of a green transformation
  • Recognize the range of international and regional green initiatives and support  services to foster green development            

Registration is open until 13 October 2013. To facilitate the participation of individuals from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and non-profit organizations, a number of fellowships will be awarded.

Comprehensive information and registration details are available on the UNITAR Online Catalogue.

For more information, please contact:

The UNITAR Environmental Governance Programme (EGP) at envgov@unitar.org.

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World’s Fastest-Growing Economy Joins Partnership for Action on the Green Economy
June 5, 2013

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 5 june 2013 - The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Wednesday announced that Mongolia would be one of the first countries in the Partnership for Action on the Green Economy (PAGE)—a major new initiative to assist the global transition to a green economy.

Speaking during celebrations of World Environment Day in Ulaanbaatar—the capital of this year’s host nation—UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said the Mongolian government was committed to ensuring green and sustainable growth.

The initiative between UNEP, the UN Industrial Development Organization, the UN Institute for Training and Research and the International Labour Organization is a direct response to the outcome document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development held in Brazil last June. It will initially focus on seven pilot countries and then expand to assist 30 countries by 2020.

“PAGE brings together the UN system to comprehensively assist pioneering countries in their ambition to move their economies into the sustainability space,” he said. “It envisions—through policy switches and inspirational initiatives—a development path that lifts people out of poverty, generates growth and creates jobs in a way that respects and prizes the environment and cultural, traditional values.”

Mongolia is developing policies on sustainable mining, renewable energy and ecotourism that will place it on a green development path.

“Environmental issues have been high on the priority agenda for Mongolia,” said Environment and Green Development Minister Sanjaasuren Oyun. “For the last seven or eight years we have had great growth, from 8-15 per cent, and it is important that we build in good basics of green growth and green economy.”

UNEP plans to engage Mongolia on a host of other issues, including climate change. Mongolia’s 2.1 degree centigrade rise in temperature over the last 70 years has led to drier conditions and degradation of pasture land, placing pressure on traditional herder communities.

“Mongolia’s experience needs to be better understood and responded to by the international community at the upcoming UN climate convention meeting in Warsaw and beyond,” said Mr. Steiner. “This is an issue around which civil society can unite with international organizations given the links here to fragile ecosystems, forestry, water supplies, mining eco-tourism and energy.”

World Environment Day aims to be the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action, and this year was themed around the UNEP and UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) campaign Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint, which is aimed at slashing food waste.

Each year, an estimated one third of all food produced ends up spoiling in the bins of consumers, retailers, farmers and transporters. This 1.3 billion tonnes, worth around US$1 trillion, is enough to feed the 870 million people who go hungry each day several times over.

Mongolia held a week of events to mark WED, including International Children’s Day celebrations and the Ulaanbaatar Marathon—which was attended by world marathon record holder and UNEP Clean Air Patron Patrick Makau.

The government also showcased its traditional culture and ecotourism aspirations in Khustai National Park. 21 years ago to the day, the Takhi (or Przewalski) horse was reintroduced to the park from captive-bred Dutch stock after becoming extinct in its native land.

There are now over 280 of the horses living wild in the park, drawing in 9,000 foreign tourists each year.

Mr. Steiner was invited to name a newborn horse, and called her Tunza—a Swahili word meaning ‘to treat with care and affection’ that is also the name of UNEP’s youth programme.

Millions Celebrate Across Globe
WED is a global celebration, and millions were engaged through events on the ground and a WED Thunderclap—a social media tool that allows users to simultaneously send out a message backing a cause. The Thunderclap reached over 31 million people.

Events were registered in over 70 countries, with close to a million participants organizing conferences, rallies, campaigns and contests themed around food waste.

Some highlights of the global celebrations include:

  • An event in Kenya organized by singing star Suzanna Owiyo, a national UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, that sees prominent women swap places with vendors in a market to show their appreciation of the vendors’ role in minimizing food waste;
  • A series of roundtables and conference on key sustainability issues organized in Florence,Italy, by Earth Day Italia;
  • In Australia, the University of New South Wales is hosting a debate with political, academic and social leaders, Oz Harvest and UNEP on what’s wrong—and what could be right—about food, waste and our future;
  • From Bangalore to Chennai in India, tens of thousands of young people are taking part in runs, awareness-raising events and tree-planting ceremonies to highlight the issue of food waste and other pressing environmental concerns;
  • In China, Tongji University in Shanghai’s International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability (ISCES) is coinciding with the global WED event on and around 5 June, bringing in hundreds of students from around the globe;
  • In Mexico, the new edition of the International Poster Biennial is being launched during one of the events celebrating WED in Mexico. The environmental category will be themed on Think.Eat.Save;
  • The City of Portland, Oregon will host this year’s North American WED celebrations, and is hosting an international children’s painting competition as well as focusing the Rose Festival Parade in honour of WED;

FURTHER RESOURCES

About World Environment Day 
WED aims to be the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. WED activities take place year round but climax on June 5. WED celebrations began in 1972 and have grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. Through WED, the UN Environment Programme is able to personalize environmental issues and enable everyone to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development. Videos, pictures and features from the events in Mongolia can be viewed on www.unep.org/wed

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Statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water on First PAGE Conference
December 17, 2013

Statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water at a press conference:

UAE, 17 december 2013 - We are pleased to meet all of you today to announce UAE hosting for the first global Partnership for Action on Green Economy conference, which is organized by the Ministry of Environment and Water in collaboration with United Nations Environment Program, International Labor Organization, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and United Nations Institute for Training and Research Under the patronage of His Highness Shiekh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoom Vise President Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai that assure UAE leadership commitment toward adapting and implementing green economy on the national and international level as a strategic option to achive sustainable development goals.

I am pleased as well to welcome my friend His Excellency Achim Steiner United Nations Under Secretary and Executive Director of UNEP our strategic partners in organizing this international conference and appreciate his support for our bid for hosting the conference. And thanking and appreciating the important and vital role played by UNEP in all environmental matters.

Green economy is considered as one of the important sustainable solutions to solve and rectify the impacts of the development on the environment, especially when our environmental resources were affected negatively by the massive economical development that was witnessed by the world in the last years. That leads to the escalation of several environmental problems on the national and international levels such as climate change and biodiversity degradation and pollution.

The conference will be an opportunity to review the progress on implementing the Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication following Rio+20, and also a chance to consider how greener economies can contribute to the emerging post-2015 development agenda and new global architecture for sustainability. Moreover, the conference will explore the context of the social benefits of transitioning to inclusive, environmentally friendly and resource-efficient green economies.

The PAGE partnership was launched earlier this year in response to country-led demand for support and training on how to implement green economy policies and best practices. The Rio+20 declaration, The Future We Want, also asked UN entities to support countries interested in making this transition by providing them with the tools and resources.

UAE started to consider transformation toward green economy seriousely since few years. The ministry of environment and water organized the first annual conference on green economy in 2008 for four years consecutively. The four organized conferences by the ministry contributed positively in defining the green economy and its benefits from environmental, economic and social perspectives. Many environmental and economic organizations participated in these conferences. Many initiatives were lunched as a result of these conferences and the major initiative was the lunch of UAE Green Growth Strategy under the slogan Green economy for Sustainable Development in January 2012 by His Highness Shiekh Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoom and by this UAE became the first country announced officially its adaptation of green economy in the Middle east and northern Africa regions.

UAE is extending all the efforts to vigorously support international initiatives to protect the environment in full consciousness of its worldwide responsibility.

As a global nation, the UAE is committed to play its part in developing and implementing innovative solutions to protect and sustain the environment. New, energy-efficient technologies will harness the UAE’s pioneering role in the green revolution and reduce its carbon footprint. The government will act decisively to reduce the nation’s ecological deficit, promoting environmental awareness and responsible behavior among Emiratis.

In addition, the UAE, in close collaboration with the PAGE partners, will invite high-level government representatives and policymakers to take part in the conference.

The conference will be an opportunity to review the progress on implementing the Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication following Rio+20, and also a chance to consider how greener economies can contribute to the emerging post-2015 development agenda and new global architecture for sustainability. Moreover, the conference will explore the context of the social benefits of transitioning to inclusive, environmentally friendly and resource-efficient green economies.

The PAGE partnership was launched earlier this year in response to country-led demand for support and training on how to implement green economy policies and best practices. The Rio+20 declaration, The Future We Want, also asked UN entities to support countries interested in making this transition by providing them with the tools and resources.

Drawing on the expertise of its various members, PAGE assists participating states to build enabling conditions by shifting investment and policies towards the creation of a new generation of assets, such as clean technologies, resource-efficient infrastructure, well-functioning ecosystems, green skilled labour and good governance.

As evidence has increasingly shown, transitioning to a green economy is at the heart of job creation, cleaner production, capacity building and natural resource management – all of which are essential components for building a more sustainable future.

The conference will take place in Dubai on the 4th and 5th March 2014. Around 500 high level international people representing the members governments in the united nations and the private sector and the civil society and more than 30 ministers will participate in this international event in addition to the representatives of relevant international organizations such as:

  • International labor organization
  • UN industrial development organization
  • World bank
  • International monetary fund
  • Global green growth institute

More than 300 international and regional organizations and governments were invited to participate in this conference.

At the national level, the ministry would be keen to invite all relevant entities to green economy in the public and private sectors, in particular in the fields of oil, gas, electricity and water, industry, transport, urban planning and waste, in order to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the conference discussions and experiences of other States in support and accelerate the pace of our efforts to move toward green economy.

The Ministry of Environment and Water, which is honored to host this international conference, is keen on providing all ways to the success of this important international conference, and employing all the possibilities to organize with a high level that is aligned with the country reputation and prestigious patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president - the Prime minister – Ruler of Dubai.

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