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The third edition of the Global Academy on the Green Economy took place in Turin, Italy from 14 to 18 October 2019. The event gathered over 100 participants coming from 34 countries, including policy-makers from PAGE countries, representatives from civil society, trade unions, business associations, and knowledge and research institutes, together with UN practitioners, PAGE technical staff and funding partners.

The Global Academy on the Green Economy is organized every two years. It consists on training and knowledge sharing sessions aimed at providing in-depth overview and understanding of the latest global Green Economy agendas.  The event provides practical tools and opens the space to showcase good practices that countries are adopting in their efforts to transition to environmentally viable and socially inclusive economies.

Beyond its specific learning objectives, the 2019 Academy contributed to enhance institutional capacities for transformative change towards greener economies and to create a community of champions that can lead action and spread the message across their networks. Participants strengthened their knowledge and the discussions fostered exchange of practices; increasing, as well, their capacity to formulate and implement green economy policies and strategies at national level and in key economic sectors, keeping up with new market trends, government policies and social aspirations.

The event kicked off with a High-Level Policy Dialogue that attracted senior government delegates, business and civil society leaders, UN directors and development cooperation agencies.

The different sessions of the Academy touched on a wide array of relevant thematic areas, including: Tools and Approaches for Green Economy Policymaking, Green Industrialization, Fiscal Policies, Green Finance, Green jobs, Learning and Skills Needs in Green Economies, Social dialogue, Stakeholder Engagement for Inclusive Green Economy Actions at Country-Level, as well as the different trends in reframing curricula around sustainability.

The learning approach of the Academy was very interactive. It built on knowledge sharing, using comprehensive and peer-reviewed training materials that have been applied and tested at country level — and adopted a variety of innovative learning methodologies which promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation. Supporting peer-to-peer learning initiatives among PAGE countries is a priority for PAGE. The partnership is committed to provide a platform to catalyse South-South and Triangular cooperation among partner countries, funding partners and non-PAGE countries. In this regard, the 2019 Academy on the Green Economy played a key role in facilitating knowledge exchange and in identifying good practices and innovative approaches to green economy.

Knowledge sharing fair

A knowledge fair was organized as part of the Academy. In this space, PAGE country partners, PAGE Agencies, Development Cooperation Agencies, Civil Society Organizations and Academic Institutions showcased their contributions to shaping Inclusive Green Economies.

PAGE National coordinators exchanged experiences and lessons learned

In the framework of the 2019 Global Green Economy Academy, PAGE National Coordinators and other staff closely involved in the implementation of the Partnership came together for a one-day workshop. The event offered a space to share lessons and experiences, address common questions, revise PAGE processes, governance structure and tools, as well as, to establish contacts among each other to assess potential South-South and Triangular exchanges among PAGE countries.

The day was structured around five areas where participants were able to discuss different themes including how PAGE is greening economies to enable countries to achieve SDGs and climate targets; how graduating PAGE countries have put in place sustainability strategies; processes related to PAGE Programme Management, as well as, potential South-South and triangular Cooperation opportunities.

At a period where PAGE is entering its second phase and shaping the 2030 strategy, the 2019 Global Academy on the Green Economy was very timely, providing policy makers and practitioners with a platform to share, learn and ultimately, to be better equipped to analyse the opportunities and challenges for the promotion of a socially inclusive green economies.

The photo gallery of the event is available here

The 6th edition of the Green Latin America Awards took place on 25 August 2019 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Launched in 2013, the Awards aim to energize the green economy of the Region: Latin America has the 23% of tropical forests, 31% of water resources and 70% of the planet's biodiversity. However, it is the region with most urban growth where 80% of the population live in cities; causing pressure on the environment therefore faces overpopulation, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and water pollution.

The Award encourages the participation of governments, organizations, businesses, small businesses, communities and individuals that stand out for the care of the environment. It focuses on developing a sustainable world, among other, through public policies, sustainable use of resources, clean energy, new technologies and waste management.

In particular the Awards recognise projects and sustainable actions implemented in 10 categories that are inspired by the accomplishments of Sustainable Development Goals: Water; Forests and Flora; Sustainable cities; Human development, social inclusion and reduction of inequality; Energy; Wildlife; Sustainable finance; Solid waste management; Oceans; Production and responsible consumption.

In the framework of the 6th edition, PAGE organized a panel on “The Role of the financial system to boost the development of the green economy”, which analyzed the current conditions of the financial system and the role of alternative financing mechanisms to promote the green economy and achieve the SDGs.

The panel was composed by Marcela Ponce from the Climate Finance Lead for Latin America and the Caribbean at International Finance Corporation; Christina Lukeman, Investor Relations Leader at Agora Partnerships, Mexico; Ana López from Conservación Internacional, Costa Rica and Carlos Castaño from Banca de Desarrollo Sostenible, Colombia.

The discussions highlighted the challenges that Latin American financial institutions are facing to reach the micro-entrepreneurial and entrepreneurial sectors that are increasingly becoming key elements of the emerging green economy in the region. Among other, the panelists analysed and exchanged knowledge and experiences on the dynamics of the financial system to finance the SDGs and the growth of alternative financing mechanisms to face the lack of response of the traditional system.

Several studies have concluded that a significant increase in sustainable investment levels will be required to achieve the SDGs. It is estimated that 5 to 7 billion dollars will be required annually, by 2030. Conversations about sustainable finance is not only about the amount that is required, but about the type of finance. As PAGE continues to support countries to move towards an inclusive and green economy, a central issue is how to redirect investments and how to attract sustainable financing to green projects. Globally, there is a consensus that public finances alone are not enough. Therefore, the role of private financing institutions will continue to be key. Public, private and multi-lateral capital will be important.

As one of its inception activities, PAGE India is undertaking a comprehensive stocktaking study to establish a baseline and to identify and elaborate priority areas for PAGE support. One national and three sub-National consultation workshops have taken place in the Eastern, Northern and Western Indian states during July and August.

The National workshop was conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi on August 20, 2019 to further refine the priorities identified in the sub-national consultations and to deliberate upon the national issues focusing on tools and policy solutions, specifically around SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production) and synergies with SDG 8 (employment and economic growth).

The workshop comprised discussions on three thematic areas: i) Sustainable Consumption and Production with a Focus on Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) and Eco-labels. ii) Resource Efficiency and Circularity in MSMEs and iii) Employment and Livelihoods in the Context of Just Transitions.

The thematic area of ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production with a Focus on SPP and Eco-labels’ is an important focus area as India spends around 25 per cent of the GDP on Government procurement (MOF 2018). Furthermore, public procurement itself has been used as a tool to achieve various social objectives of inclusion and empowerment in India. The key issues for discussion for this session included opportunities and challenges in Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP), increasing adoption and scaling up of green labelling and certification, rationalizing the eco-labelling regime and institutional models and regulatory measures needed for SPP and eco-labels. The session deliberated upon ways and means to increase adoption and scaling up of green labelling and certification and institutional mechanisms to bring coherence for promoting standardization in this domain, given that the eco-labelling regime spans across the government and private domains.

The thematic session on Resource Efficiency and Circularity in MSMEs discussed the current state of resource efficiency and circularity in MSME policy; Business models for circular economy and the paradigm of ‘remanufacturing’, ‘reduce’, ‘reuse’, ‘repair’, ‘refurbish and ‘recycle’; interventions in terms of technology, innovation, finance and service delivery and their implications for skills and employment. It also discussed the industrial sectors which can be most promising for focused interventions in resource efficiency and the roadmap for such interventions.

The session on Employment and Livelihoods in the Context of Just Transitions touched on issues such as the implications of ‘just transition’ and decent jobs, green skills in the farm and non-farm sectors, the possibilities and trade-offs for achieving goals of social justice in a climate resilient economy and the interventions required for generating new skills for inclusive green transitions.

Apart from the sector-specific issues, the discussions specifically dwelt upon the priority areas for IGE transition as the key interventions on which PAGE should focus for making a difference in the particular sector. The workshop emphasized the need to leverage upon the specific existing programmes of the government wherever possible. There were detailed deliberations on the stocktaking study being conducted by TERI for PAGE engagement in India.

The workshop was successful in bringing several stakeholders and decision makers on one platform. It mobilised commitments from relevant stakeholders in the sectoral and thematic areas, as well as government functionaries on PAGE, sparking deliberations on thematic areas and generating several interesting and actionable ideas for PAGE India engagement plan.

Participants were drawn from among experts on sustainable economic development, MSMEs, resource efficiency, agriculture, livelihoods, ecosystems and biodiversity; government officials; policy think-tanks; representatives from industry associations, academia and research institutions; civil society representatives and other prominent stakeholders. The workshop was also attended by senior level state functionaries including the Principal Secretary of the State of Uttar Pradesh and senior officials from central government departments.

By Matilde Mordt, UNDP Resident Representative Ecuador

From August 21 to 24, the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador was the environmental capital of Latin America and the Caribbean. Since 2013 the Latin American Green Awards, have taken place here. This initiative recognizes the best sustainable development projects in the region and to serve as a showcase for initiatives promoting a green economy.

This event convened 2,334 initiatives where experiences were exchanged and hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, environmentalists, journalists, representatives of national and local governments, communities, and private sector were connected. It is a motivating and empowering space for those who work towards a profound transformation of our society.

The data confirm the need for this change. According to the United Nations, since 1970, humanity has lived in a permanent ecological excess with the annual demand for resources that exceed what the Earth can regenerate each year, known as its biocapacity. Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.5 times the biocapacity of the planet. This means that we need a year and a half to regenerate what we use in just one. At the same time, the effects of climate change have intensified.

How can we promote prosperity, inclusive business and wealth creation, especially for poor people, while we are destroying the nature on which we depend for our productive capacity? Undoubtedly, it is urgent to promote new patterns of production and consumption and have a different relationship with the planet and its resources.

Beyond public policies and major international conventions, civil society and the private sector are providing solutions to achieve development that is in harmony with nature.

This is the case of ‘Wenu Mapu: Earth Friendly Paper’. This project, one of the award winners  this year,  comes from a young man who designed and manufactured a machine to produce 100 percent recycled paper. He is recycling a ton of paper every month and paying four times more to the basic recyclers than current market prices. He sells various products such as school agendas that include information on environmental care and even ‘seed paper’ that can germinate a plant.

This and other experiences have been recognized in Latin American Green Awards, which, as always, show an inspiring diversity of initiatives and commitment among the societies of the region to change.

UNDP has accompanied this effort to raise awareness and open opportunities to develop new green goods, products, and services. Nowadays, and with four UN agencies, it is promoting the Partnership for Action on Green Economy(known as PAGE), which helps countries to move towards green and inclusive economies. It also generates international discussion  about the opportunities that provides a change of paradigm, such as the the High Level Dialogue on Green Economy and Sustainable Development, held within the framework of the award.

Events such as the Latin American Green Awards are showing opportunities that are emerging mainly from the private sector and civil society in renewable energy and ecological and efficient transport systems, and water and waste management. A study reveals that the projects had an average increase of 70 percent in their sales after participating. Similarly, 71 percent of the projects have obtained additional resources, 10 projects have made their community actively involved in the development of their initiative and employability has been increased by 16 percent.

Latin America and the Caribbean is a ‘superpower’ in biodiversity and should seize this opportunity to improve livelihoods and resilience and reduce poverty and inequality. Reforms in public policies and governance can make livelihoods based on environmental assets more profitable.

If we really want to change established models, transform the reality of the region and the planet and build inclusive, peaceful and prosperous societies, we must pay more attention to the impact that humanity is having on the environment. We have resources, knowledge, and capabilities to change production models and ensure that each person lives with dignity and is not left behind.

To read the original article, click here. 

Management of solid waste is a daunting challenge globally but increasingly offers an opportunity to advance the circular economy agenda. With the aim of strengthening decision making and institutional quality of the integrated management of urban solid waste, the Second International Congress on Integral Management of Urban Solid Waste (GIRSU) was organized on 12-14 June 2019 in Argentina.

Contributions of PAGE to the event helped to place the inclusive green economy thinking in the center of the discussions and to make a case for seizing opportunities for green jobs. The National PAGE Coordinator of Argentina, Mr. Joaquín Etorena, while addressing the panel on “Strengthening of the Integrated Solid Waste Management sector, Opportunities and challenges of a just transition towards a Green Economy in Argentina” shared insights from PAGE work. Discussions at the event contributed to develop a joint vision on how the solid waste management system can be transformed into a circular economy without posing a risk to the jobs. 

The session on just transition towards a Green Economy highlighted that there is a high degree of informality in the recycling sector. Participants highlighted that transition to an integrated system of the circular economy may imply profound changes that will bring social consequences, such as the risk of losing some jobs. While acknowledging this risk, PAGE shared ideas on how the transition could bring the possibility of creating new opportunities and improving employment conditions while addressing sustainability and social inequality challenges. Participants underlined the importance of improved quality of education and development of new professional skills to overcome challenges of low productivity, lack of opportunities and youth unemployment. 

Throughout the discussion, social dialogue was identified as a key element for a just and fast transition towards sustainable development. In the context of solid urban waste, participants agreed that i) new legislation needs to be discussed in multistakeholder for a, ii) the vision for transition must pay special attention to generating new opportunities for those who are engaged in recycling of materials, and iii) role of cooperative economic schemes should be duly recognized for its contribution to decent job-creation in green sectors. Other factors and challenges discussed included: i) technological changes, ii) the need to reskill the labour force, iii) need for stimulus to accelerate innovation, iv) urgency of investment in necessary infrastructure, and v) development of value chains associated with the emergence of new sectors.  

Participants at the conference concluded that developing green economies has a positive net effect on employment in terms of quantity and quality. They highlighted that a paradigm shift from a linear economy model to a circular model is necessary and has the enormous potential to generate green jobs. 

On 5 August, the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic issued a resolution that will guide and coordinate the activities of the state executive authorities, local governments and other stakeholders in the implementation of the National Green Economy Policy. Through this resolution, the Government of Kyrgyzstan also formed the Coordination Commission on the Green Economy. PAGE supported the Minister of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic in this process.

The Coordination Commission on the Green Economy will ensure effective implementation of the Green Economy policy and will introduce Green Economy approaches in priority sectors of the country. Among other, the commission will ensure the effective implementation of the main provisions of the Kyrgyz Republic’s programme "Unity. Trust. Creation", an important element of the implementation of the National Development Strategy 2018-2040. In this context, the commission will coordinate actions of the state executive authorities, local governments, non-profit and international organizations.

The commission will also carry out assessments of the Green Economy Policy implementation results and will monitor and evaluate the achievement of targets. It will discuss recommendations to adjust the Green Economy Action Plan and approve roadmaps for solving Green Economy related issues. Overall, the commission will introduce and inform the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic on the implementation of the Green Economy Policy.

This is an example of the commitment of the Kyrgyz government to reversing environmental degradation trends while capturing opportunities for economic growth that is both inclusive and sustainable. Since Kyrgyzstan joined PAGE in 2016, the partnership prioritized support to advance the integration of inclusive Green Economy goals and targets into the government’s national planning processes. 

New York, July 2019 - PAGE was cited as a key delivery mechanism of the Sustainable Development Goals in multiple voluntary national reviews (VNRs) submitted by Member States at the high-level political forum held at the UN Headquarters in July. The VNRs of PAGE's member countries--Uruguay, Mauritius, and Guyana, among others--described PAGE's contributions to advancing the 2030 Agenda in their countries.

VNRs

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages member states to conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels. These national reviews are expected to serve as a basis for the regular reviews by the high-level political forum (HLPF). Regular reviews by the HLPF shall provide a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders.

The VNRs aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned. The VNRs also seek to strengthen policies and institutions of governments and to mobilize multi-stakeholder support and partnerships for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Uruguay

The VNR presented by Uruguay describes PAGE as a means of improving social equity and thus the quality of life of Uruguay's citizens. The report highlights the collaborative nature of PAGE, noting that the Partnership seeks to create a harmonious model of development that takes into account economic, social and environmental factors.

The report also emphasized PAGE Uruguay's success in partnering with private sector institutions, both employers and workers, to maximize its benefits in the country. Uruguay's VNR also cited some of PAGE's signature accomplishments in the country, such as its collaboration with Transforma Uruguay in the Waste Recovery and Circular Economy Project, its support for the Circular Opportunities Program, which promotes circular ideas and business, and its support for the Uruguay Circular Award.

Mauritius

In the VNR of Mauritius, PAGE is noted for its contributions to alternative modes of financing for sustainable development. The report reads, "In 2018, the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) launched the Mauritius Green Bonds Market Development Initiative, with the support of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the United Nations Partnership for Action on Green Economy (UN PAGE) to develop a green-bond ecosystem in the country.  Through this Green Bond market, SEM is seeking to gradually open up an avenue to mobilize investments into green and sustainable development projects that address climate change" (113).

PAGE's contributions to finance in Mauritius are listed under SDG 17: "Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development."

Guyana

In the review presented by Guyana, PAGE is cited in the context of SDG 8: "Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all." In this context, PAGE contributed to the Green Industry and Trade Assessment (GITA). Guyana undertook this Assessment in 2018 to "inform wider policies for industry and trade" (44). The Assessment also builds upon key components of Vision 2040, Guyana's Green State Development Strategy. It also supports "the Green Business Framework and makes specific recommendations for green industry and green trade policies and programmes" (44).

Going Forward

The presentation of VNRs by Member States at July's HLPF provided an opportunity to share experiences, successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the SDGs. PAGE will continue its important country-level work going forward, always with an eye towards advancing the 2030 Agenda.