News

PAGE SUPPORTS CAPACITY BUILDING OF INDIAN RAILWAYS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
July 28, 2020

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.

Read more
PROMOTING GREEN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SHARING OF JIANGSU EFFORTS AS BEST PRACTICE
July 2, 2020

Since 2015, PAGE has been supporting Jiangsu Province with macro-level green economy policy monitoring and advising sectoral policy in the areas of green industrial development, trade and capacity building. To further support its development vision “Ecological Civilization” in China, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has published a series of 14 articles highlighting the efforts of Jiangsu Province as an example of best practice in green development. 

In 2019, the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment took the lead in formulating the “Pilot Plan for the Integration and Reform of Eco-environmental Policies in Industrial Parks in Jiangsu Province”, focusing on improving environmental management, implementing stringent pollution control measures and supporting green development. Through an integrated approach involving comprehensive implementation of green development policies, Jiangsu was able to overcome various challenges facing Industrial Parks such as high governance costs, lack of environmental protection infrastructure and hidden environmental violations. 

On the provincial level, Jiangsu has reformed environmental impact assessments, strengthened sustainable infrastructure construction and pollution prevention, and innovated environmental governance models, supported through initiatives such as the “integrated financial service centre” established in Jiangyin High-tech zone to build a green financial platform, gathering banks, insurance firms and other financial institutions to provide enterprises with green financial services. 

At the city level, comprehensive strategies have been established to enact green development in practice, highlighted through the articles with each focusing on a different citiy in Jiangsu. Nanjing has made concerted efforts to conserve and restore the ecology of the Yangtze River through integrating protection of the river throughout the city’s development strategies. In the “Hundred-Year Coal City” of Xuzhou, a Just Transition is ongoing through the shift towards low-carbon enterprises whilst supporting afforestation, ecological corridors and sustainable land management. 

The links to all articles (in Chinese) can be found below. 

1.     Jiangsu: green industrial park – ecology and environment policy reform  

2.     Nanjing: incorporating river protection into municipal governance  

3.     Jiangyin: Yangtze river conservation  

4.     Xuzhou: green and just transition of a coal-mining city  

5.     Liyang: the integration of industry, livelihood and ecology  

6.     Suzhou: accelerating green development  

7.     Nantong: ecological restoration of the Yangtze  

8.     Lianyungang: clean river, lake and bay  

9.     Yancheng: economic and ecological development  

10.  Huai’an: ecological restoration of rivers and lakes and sustainable development  

11.  Yangzhou: economic and green development  

12.  Zhenjiang: the green development of Shiye Island  

13.  Taizhou: clean fire power plant  

14.  Sihong: constructed wetland (natural/green infrastructure) for wastewater treatment (Nature-based Solutions)

Read more
PAGE ARGENTINA ENGAGES TRIPARTITE DELEGATION TO ITCILO COURSES ON GREEN JOBS AND JUST TRANSITION
July 2, 2020

PAGE Argentina’s momentum on capacity building for a Just Transition has not been lost in the midst of COVID-19, engaging a tripartite selection of key decision makers to the ITCILO training courses “Green Jobs for Sustainable Development” and “Managing Just Transition Policies”. The online courses were structured towards the design and implementation of green jobs policies, programmes and projects and included participants from the Argentinian Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Production and Ministry of Labour, as well as employers and workers representatives to the ILO. 

  Following the training course, PAGE coordinated a joint presentation from the three Ministries, as well as the Workers Union Centrals and Employers representation, which highlighted the need for a Just Transition in Argentina and presented a draft National Strategy for Just Transition, reviewing possible entry points for sustainability in the policies of employment, industrial promotion, trade unions and business. 

  The tripartite dialogue is envisaged to start this year in the frame of PAGE Argentina and represents an opportunity to strengthen collaborative efforts and coordination amongst agencies on policies for a Just Transition, while building a social dialogue to increase momentum on sustainable and inclusive outcomes. It builds on the ambitious work of PAGE Argentina on Just Transition, which includes a Green Jobs Fair and Youth Hackathon on Green Jobs and Just Transition held in 2019, a course module on Just Transition presented in 2020 by the  PAGE Coordinator at the Global Institute for Labour of the National University UNTREF in 2020, and which counted on the joint introduction on behalf of ILO-Country Director Pedro Furtado Oliveira and UNI Global President Ruben Cortina. As well, an ongoing assessment of the effects of the transition to a green economy on the labour market is being carried out by the ILO country lead under PAGE Argentina. 

 “The question on how to shape the transition to a greener economy in a just and fair way is increasingly on the national and international agenda: If we look at initiatives like the Climate Action for Jobs of the UNFCCC or the European Green New Deal, it becomes more and more evident that Social Dialogue is crucial for leaving no-one behind. 

Supporting our partners in PAGE Argentina for the development of institutional capacities that allow us to advance in the Just Transition agenda through a tripartite Social Dialogue, is therefore fundamental.” - Joaquín Etorena Hormaeche, PAGE National Coordinator, ILO  

Read more
Webinar Stresses Green Growth Principles for COVID-Recovery in India
May 27, 2020

As India unveils its relief and recovery packages in response to the COVID pandemic crisis,  The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a leading think tank dedicated to conducting research for sustainable development of India and the Global South, along with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) held a webinar titled ‘Greening the Economic Recovery in India’ on May 14, 2020.  

The recommendations included building-in green growth principles of inclusivity and environmental sustainability into recovery and revival packages — in which innovations and mainstreaming in the domain of extended producer responsibility, sustainable finance, green skills and green entrepreneurship, consumer awareness and market development will be very important in this context. 

Rather than focusing on individual cash infusions without fundamental reforms, the webinar focused on moving forward from relief measures with a focus on thematic aspects such as sectoral interventions, financing, technology collaborations and regulatory and policy alignments that support a green recovery. The present COVID-19 crises offers an opportunity to leverage fundamental changes in decision-making at the policy level, such as better inter-agency coordination, considering sustainable development goals in state and national budgeting. There is an opportunity particularly to use economic measures to create new, green jobs through appropriate targeting to promote renewables, waste management, sustainable cold chains, resource efficiency and natural-capital based activities in rural areas. Fiscal stimulus and government spending in green sectors, such as renewable energy, can boost a green recovery path through demand creation while creating employments. In this context, PAGE was mentioned by Stephan Contius, the Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda within the German Federal Environment Ministry, as an important multi-stakeholder mechanism for enabling contributions towards green economic recovery.

PAGE India’s National Coordinator participated in the webinar as a panellist. The webinar was attended by, inter alia, Ajay Mathur (Director General, TERI) who is also a member of the PAGE National Steering Committee; Shantanu Gotmare (India Country Representative, GGGI); Stephan Contius (Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda, German Federal Environment Ministry); Henriette Faergemann (Counsellor, European Union Delegation to India); Ashish Chaturvedi (Director-Climate Change, Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Internationale Zusammenarbeit); senior Government of India officials representing the ministries of Finance, MSME, Rural Development and New and Renewable Energy; representative of industry, academia and policy-advocacy groups.

Read more
INDIA PUBLISHES DRAFT BATTERY WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES 2020
March 30, 2020

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.

Read more
SUPPORTING THE LOW CARBON DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (LCDI) IN WEST JAVA PROVINCE, INDONESIA
March 30, 2020

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.

Read more
SENEGAL AND ILO CONTINUE WORK ON WASTE COLLECTION
March 30, 2020

With the aim for organizing waste collectors into cooperatives, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a “Rapid assessment of the waste management market in Senegal for the use of the cooperative advantage in the sector” and a “Rapid assessment of the potential for a cooperative approach to waste management in Senegal”. The launch will include national workshops with UNIDO, focusing on the plastics value chain, to discuss on the creation of a new industry around plastic, with high employment and income potential.
 
Like many other countries, Senegal suffers from a lack of access to waste management services and the poor urban population of Senegal's cities suffers disproportionately from the problems linked to the poor management of solid waste: pollution of the air, surrounding waters, etc. In addition, waste pickers are mainly low-income women and men who migrate from rural areas to collect, sort and sell waste from the streets or landfills, working in unprotected conditions and increasing health risks. By organizing in an associative or cooperative form, waste pickers can access economic formalization and social inclusion and benefit from market access, occupational health and safety, social protection and a stable income.

In this vein, the ILO, in 2019, established a partnership with WIEGO (Women in Informal Employment) to explore the possibilities of organizing informal waste pickers from Mbeubeuss into cooperatives to improve their working conditions. In 2019, the two organizations co-organized a workshop bringing together the main national institutions involved in waste management, including the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, the National Waste Management Program and the President and 20 members of an association of informal waste pickers in Senegal.

Read more
Mauritius is on pace to improve its management of industrial waste while promoting circular economy
February 18, 2020

PAGE, in partnership with the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, continues its collaboration with Mauritius to find appropriate solutions to improve the management of industrial waste and promote circular economy and industrial symbiosis practices on the island.

On February 4, 2020, the kick-off meeting of a new project on industrial waste management was held at the National Co-operative College in Terre Rouge. This initiative, jointly developed by PAGE and the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, in collaboration with Business Mauritius, aims to understand better the cost of the management of industrial waste. This activity will be done by assessing, over the first half of 2020, the cost of the management of industrial waste of all the actors involved in the value chain, from companies to local authorities and recyclers. The overall goal is to give the Government of Mauritius a precise picture of the cost of managing industrial waste in order to define and develop tools for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling, which will help reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.

Some 70 participants, representing local and national authorities, and industrial companies of all sizes, attended the workshop. The Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr. Soomilduth Bholah, the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Christine Umutoni, and the Business Mauritius CEO, Mr. Kevin Ramkaloan were also present. Participants discussed existing international best practices for industrial waste management, as well as the scope, methodology and goals of the project. The meeting included a capacity building exercise on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) concept too, a model that the government of Mauritius is closely considering.

The relevance of the costs definition for both the private and public sectors has been in particular debated with all the waste management actors, as has been the need to strengthen the legislative and institutional frameworks. Discussions during the meeting revealed that the industrial sector in Mauritius is well aware of the environmental challenges represented by industrial waste management, and of the need to build more sustainable production processes. All participants, and in particular those representing the companies, expressed their readiness to undertake innovative steps to increase the recovery of materials and of energy from industrial waste. The insular condition of Mauritius and of its economy was also examined, underlining the need to develop tailored technical and organizational schemes.

In 2016 and 2017, PAGE already assisted Mauritius in carrying out a first assessment of the management of industrial waste in the country. This assessment resulted in the identification of new opportunities for the reduction, reuse and recycling of industrial waste. At the same time, it also addressed the effectiveness of Mauritius’ legislative and institutional frameworks for waste management and environment protection. This current activity on the cost assessment of industrial waste, evolved as a follow up to the previous assessment.

To know more about this event, visit the website of the government of Mauritius.

Read more
Mauritius Invests in Training for Civil Servants to Ensure a Sustainable Future
February 18, 2020

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.

Read more
Greening Indonesia's Energy Sector
February 18, 2020

On 7 January, PAGE Indonesia co-organized a kick-off meeting for its new project: "Benchmarking for Dynamic System Model based on the General National Energy Plan" project. Held at the at UNDP Indonesia Office, and attended by representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, the System Dynamics Bandung BootCamp (SDBB), and PAGE (UNDP), the project will ultimately provide support for the Ministry and assist in the development of a benchmarking dynamics system based on the general national agency plan.

During the meeting, an initial workplan was presented by the BLU P3KEBTKE, the centre of research and development for electricity technology, new and renewable energy, and energy conservation within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Beyond the focus on developing a benchmarking dynamics system, this project will also contribute to strengthening the existing Low Carbon and Development (LCDI) model, particularly in the energy sector. An LCDI sub-model and database for the energy sector will be developed by the BLU P3KEBTKE team and LCDI policies will be translated into sectoral energy policies. The main expected outputs are:

  • Analysis of energy modelling parameter and energy policies;
  • Development of dynamic system modelling and impact analysis;
  • Dynamic system transformation into a web-based simulation.

Subsequently, PAGE organized a follow-up technical discussion on 15 January. Held at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources' office, and attended by representatives of BLU P3KEBTKE, Bappenas and SDBB, the three parties used this forum to share information, detail the workplan, and agree on collaboration and coordination methods for the future. As a result, a more detailed workplan was then submitted to PAGE Indonesia.

Read more about PAGE's partnership with Indonesia.

Read more
Sustainable Living in Burkina Faso
February 18, 2020

Burkina Faso has been showing a strong interest for sustainable development. The country has recently started the adoption of its strategy to develop over 2000 ecovillages in the country, called "Strategie Nationale de Creation des Écovillages 2018-2027". The project is part of the government's effort to revamp and structurally transform the country's economy. The "Plan national de développement économique et social" (PNDES) aims to achieve sustainable and resilient economic growth, while increasing the number of jobs and the overall welfare of the Burkinese population.

By transforming its villages into ecovillages, the Burkina Faso's government will address several issues that the country has been facing, such as food insecurity, desertification and poverty. This goes in conformity with the 2030 Agenda and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), to which the country has committed itself. To better evaluate the outcomes of the strategy, five strategic goals have been set:

  • Strengthening local governance;
  • Improving food and nutrition security;
  • Preservation of the environment;
  • Promotion of local entrepreneurship;
  • Improving access to finance. 

Burkina Faso, which has been working closely with PAGE since 2014, drew on years of cooperation with PAGE to prepare its national policy on green villages. In addition, the country has been actively engaging with players at both international and regional levels to help find solutions for the impeding challenges of this century, such as climate change. This can be seen in the several treaties and conventions signed and ratified by the country in the past years.

PAGE provided support to the National Green Economy Strategy, which serves as the backbone of the country's PNDES plan. Throughout the years, several macroeconomic and sectoral assessments were carried out to collaborate with this strategy, especially the Green Economy Assessment that identified key sectors for green investments.

Read more about PAGE's partnership with Burkina Faso

Read more
Mauritius Puts Sustainable Development at the Forefront for 2020-2024
February 18, 2020

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.

Read more
senegals commitment to sustainable development
February 18, 2020

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.

Read more
Building skills for tomorrow’s economy: insights from Mato Grosso
January 17, 2020

The education work on sustainable agriculture by Grupo Semente illustrates how small scale farmers can achieve better environmental and health outcomes by adopting modern practices. However, the high cost of certification of organic produce in relation to the farmers’ output presents a challenge to securing a price premium in the marketplace. More institutional support is thus required to address constraints in human and financial resources and upscale sustainable farming practices. “Just as individuals face institutional barriers that prevent them from achieving a greater impact, institutions face systemic barriers that stand in the way of achieving deep, transformative change. When the three levels – individuals, institutions and the overarching system – act in concert, that’s when things are starting to change rapidly” remarks Giuliano Montanari, Green Economy Specialist at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

Specifically, the workshop set out to validate findings and recommended actions for advancing capacity building derived from the Green Economy Learning Assessment (GELA), a study realized by the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT). As part of their methodology, the UFMT researchers talked to numerous stakeholders and institutions in civil society, academia, the private and public sector to identify strategic intervention points to advance learning on sustainability in the state. “One of the intervention points aims at enriching curricula of secondary education institutions with basic green economy concepts, to achieve better geographical reach and promote behavioral change over the long term” explains Luciane Durante, Professor and project lead for the study.

In his concluding observations, Olivan Rabelo, Director of the Office of Technological Innovation at UFMT, pointed out an additional skill to learn in order to induce change in the particularly diverse social landscape of Mato Grosso, namely empathy. “With so many different economic, cultural and social interests spread over such vast distances in our state, we need to able to mutually understand each other. And this is why this we’re talking more than economic policy today. Things are already moving here, but we need to take that discussion to more citizens and initiatives.” For this workshop, chief Rony drove nearly five hours to make his pitch. If some of the actions of the GELA get implemented, next time perhaps the green economy discussion may come straight to the public square of his tribe.

Attendees: Rony Paresi, chief of the Wazare tribe, Flora Ferreira Camargo, agronomist at the civil society initiative Grupo Semente, and Suenia Maria Cordeiro, representative of the public agency Sebrae

Visit the UFMT website for more information on programmes and initiatives.

Read more
Greening Family Agriculture: Mato Grosso
January 16, 2020

Partners: The Secretary of State for Family Agriculture (Seaf-MT) and the Centro de Vida Institute Alta Floresta Chamber of Store Managers (CDL)

As Brazil’s leading producer of food resources, family agriculture in Mato Grosso is part of a wider debate on economic and environmental sustainability, where efforts are encouraged towards educating on agriculture impacts in the area.

The Secretary of State for Family Agriculture (Seaf-MT) for the State Government of Mato Grosso and with financial support from PAGE, established the State Council for Sustainable Rural Development (CEDRS), the first series of regional workshops promoting the Integrated State System for Family Agriculture. The workshops provided guidance and gave programme information on how municipalities can take the lead. The workshop also demonstrated the electronic tool (e-SEIAF), a smart tool that utilises primary data collection for family agriculture. The new tool can be used to set measurable goals in order to strengthen the sector as a whole.

The series of workshops involved five regional meetings, which had participation from representatives in municipal, state and federal agencies including: the Municipal Council for Sustainable Rural Development (CMDRS), representatives of the State Council for Sustainable Rural Development (CEDRS), and representatives of the Intermunicipal Consortia for Economic Development, Social and Environmental, academic, research and extension institutions, social movements in the countryside, associations, cooperatives, Workers' and Rural Workers' Union (STTR), Empresa Mato-grossense de Pesquisa, Assistência e Extensão Rural (EMPAER), political class, third sector and private initiatives.

The SEIAF initiative, with PAGE financial support, expressed in the workshops that the System is one of the main instruments for the implementation of the State Policy and the Plan for Family Agriculture. During the regional workshops, subsidies were collected for the improvement of the SEIAF proposal and its subsequent institutionalisation.

Read more