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Indian Railways is not only one of the world’s largest railway networks, it is also an environmentally conscious government organisation with a proactive vision to create a mass transport system with a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030. To support the National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR), UNEP, under its PAGE engagement, developed comprehensive training modules and organized a pilot capacity building training programme from 10th to 17th July on environmental sustainability for Indian Railways officials.  

The online training covers a variety of topics related to green economy, including aspects of green transport, resource efficiency, waste management, green building, sustainable public procurement, circular economy and India’s NDC & SDG targets. Conducted by renowned circular economy expert Dr Prasad Modak, the week-long pilot training programme utilized the 'flipped teaching' method for maximum effectiveness. This method requires participants to learn relevant content via the online training modules prior to the course, enabling active participation in the interactive training sessions and ultimately resulting in a more comprehensive understanding of the content. The programme will strengthen the capacities in Indian Railways in the area of environmental sustainability across the ranks of decision makers and implementers, whilst also supporting mainstreaming of environmental sustainability into NAIR training procedures by training the faculty.  

Highlighting the importance of the programme, the inaugural session was attended by the Chairman of the Railway Board, the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training, the Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Assistant Secretary General & Executive Director of UNITAR, as well as the trainee officials and other senior officials of Indian Railways.

More than 100 participants from a number of municipal governments in West Java, NGOs, private sector, as well as development partners joined a kick-off meeting on Thursday, 5 March 2020 in Bandung, Indonesia for the Low Carbon Development Initiative. The event was hosted and opened by the Head of Regional Development Planning Agency/Bappeda of West Java Province, Dr. Ir. H. M. Taufiq B. Santoso, M.Soc.Sc and the Director of Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Development Planning/Bappenas, Dr.  Medrilzam delivered a keynote speech and presentation about the LCDI. A panel discussion then followed with contributors from UNDP (Dr. Verania Andria), JICA (Dr. Jun Ichihara), and GIZ (Mr. Atjeng Kadaryana). 
 
The Government of Indonesia has been working progressively on the Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI) policy since it was initiated during the UNFCCC COP23 in 2017. The LCDI aims at incorporating environmental considerations such as carbon emissions reduction targets and interventions for preserving and restoring the country’s natural resources into the development planning of Indonesia. The LCDI Phase 1 has successfully incorporated the LCDI approach into the National Medium-term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2020-2024 and introduced a system-dynamics planning tool that allows simultaneous assessment of social, environmental and economic impacts in various development scenarios. This kick off comes as the LCDI enters its implementation phase (phase 2).

“Currently, GHG emission reduction has been one of the macro development targets within the National Medium-term Development Planning (RPJMN) 2020-2024, making the environmental issue as important as economic development, poverty eradication, gini ratio, open unemployment rate, and human development index”, said Dr. Medrilzam in his keynote speech. In alignment with Dr. Medrilzam, the Head of Bappeda West Java said that “Low carbon development planning is a solution to boost economic growth and eradicate poverty without sacrificing environmental sustainability”. During the discussion, Dr. Verania Andria of UNDP stressed that “Private sector involvement is critical in achieving LCDI targets in Indonesia”.

Guided by the LCDI Phase 2 Framework, PAGE, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Development Planning and other development partners aims to support the LCDI model development for the next RPJMN (2025-2029) as well as to accelerate the implementation of LCDI development scenarios in selected pilot provinces. PAGE has pledged to support the strengthening of LCDI Policy, Private Sector Engagement, Communication, and Regional Engagement in West Java, Central Java, and Bali provinces.  

For West Java in particular, UNDP through PAGE is supporting the province to mainstream the LCDI approach into West Java’s existing Regional Medium-term Development Plan (RPJMD) 2018-2023 and into the next RPJMD 2025-2029, by providing support for coordination and designing the LCD annual programmes, technical assistance, as well as capacity building/trainings for a number of development planners/civil servants on green/LCD planning. Besides, PAGE will collaborate with the Innovative Financing Lab (IFL) to support private sector engagement and resource mobilization for LCDI in the province by conducting a thorough feasibility study and developing business cases for pilot projects.

IMAGE from left to right: Mr. Atjeng Kadaryana (GIZ), Dr. verania Andria (UNDP), Dr. Medrilzam (Head of Environmental Affairs Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas), Dr. Ir. H. M. Taufiq B. Santoso, M.Soc.Sc. (Head of Regional Development Planning Agency West Java), Dr. Jun Ichihara (JICA), and Moderator.

With a view to strengthen the ecosystem for handling and disposal of batteries across India and ensure the safety of people involved, as well as to check the environmental hazards caused by their indiscriminate handling and disposal, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has published the draft Battery Waste Management Rules, 2020, on February 20, 2020 which is set to supersede Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001. Types of batteries that are proposed to be brought under the purview include all primary (non-rechargeable) and secondary (chargeable) cells.

The amendment looks to ensure safe and formalised recycling of batteries that are under use, with an emphasis on tracking batteries that have completed their useful life through online records and data management. The amendment also lays out the responsibilities of the manufacturer, importer, assembler, re-conditioner, consumer, exporter, dismantler, collection centre and state/central pollution control board explicitly and also stresses awareness on the hazards of Lead, Cadmium and Mercury and safety measures associated with their handling.

The proposed rules will seek accountability to make sure that the batteries are recycled through formal channels in a safe manner and when enforced, will cover a vast range and be applicable to "every manufacturer, producer, collection centre, importer, re-conditioner, refurbisher, dismantler, assembler, dealer, recycler, auctioneer, vehicle service centre, consumer and bulk consumers involved in manufacture, processing, sale, purchase, collection, storage, reprocessing and use of batteries or components thereof including components, consumables and spare parts which make the product operational." The targets for extended producer responsibility have also been stated along with the framework for collection and channelization of waste batteries at end of life.

The Ministry has asked manufacturers to set up collection centres by themselves or jointly at various places for collecting used batteries from consumers and dealers. They will also have to ensure arrangements for safe transportation of old batteries from the collection centre to the authorised/registered recyclers. Furthermore, manufacturers will also need to file an annual record of their sales and buyback to the State Board by December 31 of every year.

When the proposed amendments come into force, India may take a global lead in establishing a regulatory framework on putting in place a mechanism for safe disposal and recycling of batteries.

As an island nation, Mauritius has a higher vulnerability to climate change and its effects ­­-- which is why the country has been working closely with the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) to put sustainable development at the heart of economic policies.

The latest initiative developed by the Government of Mauritius and PAGE, with support from the United Nations Training Institute (UNITAR) and Civil Service College Mauritius (CSCM), aims to educate civil servants in two key areas: strategic planning and project management, through workshops held 19th and 20th of February.

The first, entitled "Strategic Planning: Achieving Sustainable Development in Mauritius", outlines why the important role strategic planning can have in generating business opportunities, safeguarding livelihoods, and preserving the environment. And the second workshop, "Project Management: Keeping Mauritius on a Sustainable Development Track", lays out a toolkit supporting the country's civil servants to better manage, assess, and implement projects in relationship to their social and environmental implications.

Each of these training days includes a practical component, enabling the participants to put into practice what they've learned right away. The last session of each workshop, called "Do It Yourself", devotes time for attendees to evaluate past projects they have managed and rework on them through a sustainability lens.

The two-day programme is under the regular training offer for civil servants in Mauritius, which intends to enhance the skillset of public officials in the areas of sustainability and leadership. The training is part of the 5-days course “Performance and Public Service Excellence for Middle Management”.

Read more about PAGE's partnership wit Mauritius.

The government of Mauritius recently launched its new national programme for 2020-2024: "Toward an Inclusive, High Income and Green Mauritius, Forging Ahead Together". The programme lays out the government's vision for the next four years and will be used as a source of inspiration and guidance for future policymaking.

PAGE has supported several commitments of the new government's plan. For instance, it actively contributed to the Marshall Plan on poverty, job skills, industrial waste, competitiveness, clean production, and investments. In addition to that, the four main pillars that laid the groundwork for the new programme were conceived with support from PAGE. They are:

1. Investing in clean energy;
2. Shifting to a cleaner and greener Mauritius;
3. Mitigating risks from climate change;
4. Protection of marine resources.

Noteworthy as well, the programme lays out the following commitment: “To this end, an Economic Research and Planning Bureau will be set up at the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development. The Bureau will help to translate the Government Programme into an overarching and coherent action plan, within which private and public sector operators and institutions will operate.”

By bringing different stakeholders together in this, and aiming to create long-lasting results, the government has shown its willingness to put sustainable development at the forefront of the strategy. It reflects the fruitful partnership between PAGE and Mauritius, which has started in 2016 and has been contributing to the following SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality Education); SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure); SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production); SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

You can find Mauritius' 2020-2024 programme here, available in English and French.

Having established itself as one of West Africa’s economic hubs, Senegal has, in tandem, made significant strides towards improving the well-being of its population through its commitment to sustainable development. In that effort, Senegal adopted the “Plan Senegal Emergent” (PSE) in 2014, outlining a new development model designed to accelerate its progress towards emerging market status and facilitate its transition to a green economy in the mid to long-term. In addition, the country also adopted the National Strategy for Sustainable Development in 2015.

PAGE intervention has focused on the operationalization of the PSE and its  five-year Priority Action Plan (PAP 2014-2018), specifically two pillars integral to green economy transition: “Structural Transformation of the Economy and Growth” and “Human Capital, Social Protection and Sustainable Development”. 

Now entering its final year of PAGE support, 11 and 12 February saw key actors and stakeholders across sectors gather in Dakar for the third edition of the National Green Economy Days, aiming to "Reinforce achievements and ensure the sustainability of the green economy in Senegal".   

Organized by the Government of Senegal, under the leadership of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and in collaboration with United Nations agencies and national partners involved in the implementation of the PAGE in Senegal, the Green Economy Days were a platform to present the strategy to sustain action on green economy, beyond the work of PAGE, and further anchor sustainable development in Senegal. Involving partners from government, private sector, academia and civil society discussion has covered national green employment policies; the updated version of the Green Economy Assessment; recent studies on green skills and green jobs, along with a methodology for the statistical estimation of green jobs; circular economy; social and solidarity economy; training modules on IGE developed for government excecutives; and programmes for future skill development — all with a view to develop a roadmap for the continuation of green economy activities in the years to come.