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Constructive News: Can Solutions Journalism Save Our Forests?
June 3, 2019

Written by Rebecca Lake, UNDP Communications Consultant.

Everyday day we are bombarded with devasting news about our natural world. From the latest IPBES report which warned of ‘unprecedented’ species extinction to mass deforestation and the rise of global temperatures, the daily cycle of bad news is relentless. And the research says audiences are switching off in droves because of this.

According to a recent study conducted by the Reuters Institute, nearly 50 per cent of survey respondents said they currently avoid the news media because it had a negative effect on their moods. Almost a third said they avoided news because it made them feel helpless.

Can a different approach to journalism, one which presents potential solutions alongside the problems, bring readers back and ultimately inspire change?

Giselle Green, Editor of Constructive Voices, says news that only conveys doom and gloom isn’t actually telling us the entire story. She is among a growing cohort of journalism practitioners calling for more solutions to be featured alongside traditional news stories.

“Basically constructive journalism, sometimes referred to as solutions reporting, is all about how journalism can react to problems,” explains the former BBC journalist. 

“It’s rigorous reporting, it’s not just fluffy stories that make you smile. It should spark a constructive response among audiences.”

Some of the world’s biggest media organizations are already experimenting with a solutions approach. This includes the Guardian’s Upside series, which aims to seek out answers, solutions, movements and initiatives to some of the biggest problems besetting the world.

In this series, articles ranges from ‘A new leaf: the hardy trees reforesting the Amazon’ to global examples of where carbon taxes are actually popular.

Documentary films about climate change such as the recently released 2040 — by acclaimed Australian filmmaker Damon Gameau — are also looking to inspire audiences by showing viewers what’s possible with solutions that already exist. From regenerative farming to independent community solar power grids, 2040 presents just a small handful of climate solutions that have the potential to inspire and empower audiences worldwide.

Nevertheless, many journalists and media outlets remain sceptical. Some claim that the approach can devolve into biased or “feel-good” advocacy, rather than a critical examination of important social issues that hold the powerful to account. However, proponents of solutions journalism argue that while the approach doesn’t necessarily try to uncover ‘hidden information’ or scandalous wrongdoings, it can still be influential by showcasing what governments and business could and should be doing.

To further explore the potential of solutions journalism in the context of climate change and deforestation, the UNDP’s Green Commodities Programme, with the Good Growth Partnership, facilitated a shared learning experience in the Peruvian Amazon for eight international journalists.

The initiative began with a two-day workshop in Lima, where selected journalists had the opportunity to consider the powerful role international media plays in reporting  deforestation predominately driven by agricultural commodities. Despite extensive efforts over the past decade to slow tropical deforestation, the latest findings from WRI’s Global Forest Watch report paint a grim picture. Around 12 million hectares of forest in the world's tropical regions were lost in 2018, equivalent to 30 football fields per minute.

Yet, while the urgency to halt deforestation is increasingly dominating headlines, the why and the how of doing so – the solution focus — is not as well known.

Throughout the workshop – which was co-hosted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) — the journalists were encouraged to consider the solutions for key sustainability and development issues in major agricultural commodity supply chains.

Led by Sara El-Khalili of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, workshop guest speakers included Giselle Green of Constructive Voices,  Paul Dickinson, Founder and Executive Chair of CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project). Deep insights into sustainability issues in Peru were provided by James Leslie, UNDP-Peru’s Technical Advisor on Ecosystems and Climate Change.

After attending the opening high-level session of the Good Growth Conference in Lima — where the journalists had the opportunity to interview the Ministers of Environment and Agriculture from Peru and Ecuador — the reporters journeyed into the Amazon to put what they had learned about solutions journalism into practice.

For Alejandra Agudo Lazareno, a reporter for Spain’s El Pais daily newspaper, ‘solutions journalism’ isn’t entirely a new concept.

“In Planeta Futuro we regularly write pieces with positive points of view. But it’s not something I usually consider in the case deforestation and commodities,” she explained.

“In general, this experience has been a great opportunity to gain new knowledge from other news outlets and learn more about the ways in which humanity is trying to do the right thing for the planet,” said Alejandra whose story was inspired by the successful sustainable development strategies being implemented in Peru’s San Martin region.

This immersive approach to learning conducted in the heart of one of the world’s most important ecosystems is a defining feature of the Good Growth Conference. Being in the Amazon helped conference delegates, and journalists, gain a deeper connection to their work as well as the resilience and motivation needed to sustain collective efforts for change.

For Bhimanto Suwastoyo of the Palm Scribe, the Good Growth Journalism Initiativeprovided a valuable opportunity to understand the deforestation challenge from different angles and perspectives. During his time in Peru, the Indonesian journalist reported on how the small Amazonian community of Chazuta transitioned from illicit coca production (for cocaine) to sustainable cocoa.

“My takeaway from the training, and the Good Growth Conference, is that nothing beats on-site learning visits to motivate solution-based journalism and that the best solutions to problems, in any field, usually involve as many stakeholders as possible working together to arrive at the solution.”

“I will now approach a story by first looking at it through the lenses of a number of different perspectives,” explained Bhimanto whose publication, The Palm Scribe, aims to help the palm oil sector foster a healthier and more constructive public discourse.

Eromo Egbejule, West Africa Editor of The Africa Report, used his time in the Amazon to examine new approaches to sustainable agriculture in Latin America which could be applied across the Atlantic.

“One of the biggest takeaways I gained from participating in the Good Growth Journalism Initiative was being exposed to what’s already being achieved in Peru and neighbouring countries.”

“I heard Costa Rica’s remarkable story. The country managed to reverse what was one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, with radical reforms backed by political willpower. It’s a lesson countries in Africa ought to learn.”
Eromo detailed his findings in an article he published in the Africa Report: Lessons on political willpower from Costa Rica and Peru.

Meanwhile Fabiano Maisonnave, Amazon correspondent for Folha de São Paulo, used his time at the Good Growth Conference to investigate the environmental impacts of the invasive tilapia fish species, which was introduced in Peru three decades ago.

“I noticed that every restaurant in the small Amazonian community of Sauce was only serving one variety of fish [tilapia],” he explained. On the other side of the forest system, in the Brazilian state of Tocantins, officials are currently experimenting with how best to cultivate the foreign fish species which was previously banned and has already decimated native fish stocks in Peru and Bolivia.

During the conference, Fabiano was able to observe an exchange of ideas between Peru’s San Martin Production Director, Raúl Belaunde, and Marcelo Soares, head of Tocantins State's environmental licensing agency in Brazil. Belaunde — who participated in and co-hosted the week-long event with the Governor — explained that the tilapia in his province is “impossible to control” and regretted his country’s decision to introduce it.

“I don’t think the Tocantins representative was deterred, but at least the Peruvian government officials were able to share and recommend best practices which may help to mitigate some risks to Brazil’s Amazonian ecosystem,” explained Fabiano.

Fabiano’s report quotes a number of Brazilian conservationists and regional experts who are urgently seeking more information about the risks of tilapia cultivation as they try to avoid the same fate as neighbouring Amazonian countries.

For Switzerland-based journalist, Paula Dupraz-Dobias, the chance to speak with the indigenous leaders of San Martin’s Quechua community meant she was able to gain first-hand accounts and local wisdom directly from those who know the forests best.

“Listening to - and reporting on - indigenous peoples may allow us to learn from their wisdom, particularly in how we can live from resources at our doorstep and better appreciate the fragility of  our global  environment.” she said when asked about the opportunity to visit the indigenous community of Alto Pucalpillo.

“Unfortunately, very often the voices of indigenous communities are dismissed in global discussions on climate change and sustainable development goals. Hopefully our access as journalists to these communities can help project their voices - and wisdom -to a wider audience.”

With so much at stake, rigorous journalism that provides solutions to our environmental challenges is needed now more than ever. If you are interested in collaborating or supporting the Good Growth Journalism Initiative please contact Simon.Cooper@undp.org.

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We need 'green economy', not 'grey' to have green societies: UN chief
May 30, 2019

Subsidies that promote the use of fossil fuels are helping "to destroy the world", and are a bad way to deploy taxpayers' money, the head of the United Nations said on Tuesday. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a gathering of politicians and business people in Austriathat pollution should be taxed, and subsidies for oil, gas and coal should be ended. "Many people still think that to give fossil fuel subsidies is a way to improve living conditions of people," he said in remarks delivered at a Vienna conference on climate change.

"There is nothing more wrong than that. What we are doing is using taxpayers' money – which means our money – to boost hurricanes, to spread droughts, to melt glaciers, to bleach corals. In one word – to destroy the world." According to the International Energy Agency, global fossil-fuel consumption subsidies in 2017 were more than $300 billion, up from about $270 billion in 2016.

Guterres said he believed taxpayers would prefer to see their money returned to them rather than used to wreck the planet. A hard-hitting report produced by hundreds of scientists this month warned that up to 1 million animal and plant species are at risk of extinction due to humankind's relentless pursuit of economic growth. It identified industrial farming and fishing as major drivers of the crisis, and said climate change caused by burning fossil fuels was exacerbating the losses. The U.N. chief on Tuesday called for "a rapid and deep change in how we do business, how we generate power, how we build cities, and how we feed the world", so that global warming can be curbed, and people and the planet protected from harm.

Even if governments met the commitments they made under the 2015 Paris Agreement to tackle climate change, temperatures would still rise more than 3 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times, "which means a catastrophic situation", Guterres said. The Paris accord, now ratified by about 185 countries, sets a goal to limit global temperature increase to "well below" 2C, and to strive for 1.5C, in order to avert the worst effects of extreme weather and rising seas.

The situation is "even more serious" because many countries "are not even catching up with their own promises" made under the Paris pact, Guterres emphasised. He has convened a summit in New York on Sept. 23 aimed at spurring governments, businesses and others to step up their efforts to curb climate change. "I am asking leaders not to come with beautiful speeches but to come with concrete plans to promote the climate action we need," he said in Austria.

'PEOPLE POWER'

The U.N. boss said doing the right things - such as halting the building of coal power plants, decarbonising urban infrastructure, and producing and consuming in a greener way - would have "profound" benefits for societies around the world. Those include cleaner water and air, less pollution, more chemical-free agriculture and reduced loss of wildlife and plant species, he said.

"In short, we need a green economy, not a grey economy, to have a green society," he added. Teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, whose weekly school strikes about climate change have sparked a global youth movement over the past nine months, said the general public had not been well-informed about the risks of a warming planet. It was up to politicians, executives, journalists and others with influence to tell the truth about the climate "emergency", and not pretend it could be fixed with technology or simple solutions, she said. "We promise we will not let you get away with it anymore," she insisted at the conference.

Former California governor and Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose R20 climate change initiative for regional, state and city governments organised the gathering, said the greatest movements for change all start with "people power" holding governments or corporations to account. "The movement for a clean energy future is no different," he said.

Click HERE to view the orginal article

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South Africa’s Ramaphosa signs carbon tax into law
May 30, 2019

South African industry will be subject to a carbon tax from 1 June, after president Cyril Ramaphosa signed the policy into law on Sunday.

Ramaphosa’s African National Congress party was returned to office with a reduced majority in an election earlier this month. While climate change was barely mentioned in the campaign, the result allows the government to finally implement a tax that has been under discussion since 2010.

“Climate change represents one of the biggest challenges facing human kind, and the primary objective of the carbon tax is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a sustainable, cost effective and affordable manner,” the treasury said in a statement.

The tax is to start at 120 rand a tonne of CO2 ($8). In the first phase, polluters will get 60-95% of carbon allowances free, bringing the effective tax rate down to R6-48/t. These rates are to be reviewed before phase two, spanning 2023-30.

South Africa relies on coal for most of its energy. Politically, the priority for the electricity sector has been to tackle rolling blackouts and state-owned utility Eskom’s mountain of debt.

The government’s blueprint for the sector to 2030 includes 1GW of coal capacity already in planning, before pivoting to gas, nuclear and renewables. It foresees adding 8.1GW of gas, 2.5GW of nuclear 2.5GW of hydropower, 5.7GW of solar and 8.1GW of wind, in the latest iteration reported by industry publication Go Legal.

Meanwhile the mining sector, a major employer, is struggling with unreliable power and high labour costs. Anglo American Platinum complained last monththe carbon tax would cost them R50m ($3.4m) in the first two years. Such concerns are behind years of delay and concessions to big emitters.

Campaigners welcomed the price on pollution, but said it needed to get higher to clean up the country’s economy.

“We commend the president for putting wheels to this long overdue issue,” said Morné du Plessis, head of WWF South Africa. “During the second phase, we will have to ramp up our transition ambitions significantly.”

Climate Action Tracker rates South Africa’s climate targets “highly insufficient”.

 

Click HERE to view the original article.

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PAGE launches in Argentina with a High-level event gathering 160 participants
May 28, 2019

16-17 May 2019 - The Partnership for Action on Green Economy together with the Argentine Government, through the Ministry of Production and Labor, the Secretariat of the Government of Environment and Sustainable Development, begins its activities in Argentina to enable the country’s transition towards green economy, leaving no one behind. The program will last four years and focus on a green and fair transition towards green economy that will generate opportunities, improve competitiveness and productivity, promote decent work and gender equality and protect the most vulnerable populations.

The inception mission lasted three days including: a High-level launch, a Partnership workshop to identify strategies and partners and an Inception Workshop to determine objectives, products, activities, indicators and partners.

The two-day event featured face-to-face consultations between PAGE agencies, government representatives and key stakeholders to identify needs and demands, and ensure the national commitment and ownership of PAGE. Around 160 participants from all sectors involved, including trade unions, businesses chambers, the financial sector, several state agencies at the three levels of government (national, provincial and local), Organizations of Civil Society, Reseach and Development, as well as several programs of the United Nations system attended the event.

Thought several round of consultations and workshops, participants determined PAGE activities in the country during this initial phase and unchained the debate with a long-term perspective, also taking into account other programs that are currently being implemented by the PAGE partners, agencies of the UN and other development partners in the country.

The Secretary of Industry of the Ministry of Production and Labor, Fernando Grasso, said:

"PAGE is an opportunity for development that can generate a lot of quality employment within the framework of the Industry 4.0 revolution." He also noted that "the PAGE alliance is launched in Argentina with the aim of promoting public policies towards a green and inclusive economy, the work that is being promoted in the field of Circular Economy from the Ministry of Production and Labor".

Carlos Gentile, Secretary of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, stressed that:

"The most interesting thing about this project is that it is a platform that allows ordering many different efforts for the good of the country and that there is a transformation towards a green economy"  The official added that "to achieve the objectives of the initiative, social dialogue is fundamental, involving government institutions, employers, workers, the science and technology sector, civil society and development partners such as development banks, South-South and bilateral cooperation. "

Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Argentina, René Mauricio Valdés, expressed the importance that the system can join forces and provide joint solutions without overlapping, as is being promoted by the reform of the United Nations at present, "I am very happy that, as United Nations agencies, we can unite in this effort in a key year for the fight against Climate Change", he added.

The high level event closed with remarks by Secretary of State of Environment and Sustainable Development Sergio Bergman who unbderlined that:

"The concept of green economy is not yet internalized in Argentina, Laws that sustain the green economy from the fiscal point of view are needed, to emphasize that the initiative requires an accompaniment of the finance and economy portfolios. The solution must be to develop ourselves in a sustainable manner. If we want a green economy, we must have regulations in the fields of rewards and punishments, because the economy does not work with good intentions, it works with incentives." said Bergman, adding that "this is why, within the concept of green economy, it is so important to us not leaving anyone behind. For that to happen, generate green work, generate social inclusion, not discard people as we discard goods, and at the same time, generate new rules of the game of the economy, because until the economy changes, we will not be able to make also profitable what is sustainable ".

PAGE Argentina is expected to strengthen the country Green Economy Governance by improving and integrating information and facilitating the decision making on green economy, to accompany the labor markets in a Just Transition by adapting professional formation systems and the occupational change, as well as launching processes that promote sustainable productive development through the capacities building and the leveraging of public and private investment for technological innovation.

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"The green economy is the future’ Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General
May 3, 2019

Winning the race against climate change to keep our planet livable and on a healthy trajectory requires action rooted in sustainable solutions aligned with the Paris Agreement and the UN-driven 2030 Agendafor sustainable development, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Saturday.

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Building capacities of future policy makers on green economy principles
May 1, 2019

The Senegalese National School of Administration (Ecole Nationale d’Administration - ENA) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) established a partnership to develop a learning module on green economy for Senegal’s future public administration managers.

To better train its students on certain sustainable development concepts, ENA is working with UNITAR to develop a learning module on green economy.  Within this context, experts from UNITAR and trainers from ENA held an initial workshop to discuss the introduction of the course on inclusive green economy into the school curricula.

ENA Secretary General, Mbaye Diop, recalled that the workshop is part of a partnership agreement for the implementation of the project entitled "Integrating the Inclusive Green Economy into ENA curriculum". In his opinion, given the limited resources and the need to prepare future decision makers on these issues, the integration of the green economy course is crucial for ENA.

"Our goal is to constantly strengthen our institution so that it can fully assume its role of providing training and skills to future senior and middle administration managers who will be in charge of driving transformations in the public action as underpinned by the Plan Sénégal Émergent (PSE)" says the Secretary General of ENA.

For this reason, ENA’s role will be essential in the process of integrating green economy into national policies, priority actions, budgets and documents.

UNITAR representative, Lovena Appasami, UN consultant on green economy and climate change in West Africa, says that her institute specifically targeted ENA for the implementation of this module. This project, she says, is part of the PAGE (Partnership for Action on Green Economy) which supports 18 partner countries including Senegal which joined the programme in 2014 with the implementation of the PSE. PAGE aims to help partner countries in mainstreaming inclusive green economy into national sustainable development plans. Thus, the exploratory report that was made in Senegal in 2014 will contribute to the development of this module.

Mrs Appasami thinks it is important to familiarize ENA’s alumni with green economy concepts. Those students will be in a few years at the heart of the implementation of public policies.

The trainers of ENA have all welcomed this project expressing their positive expectations for the module. Given the fact that ENA has seven different sections, the general secretary Mbaye Diop asked to reflect on a module that takes into account the concerns and expectations of all the different sections.

In this regard, at the workshop different sessions where dedicated to building a common understanding of the concept of inclusive green economy, on its dimensions and implications and on general objective of the course.

Translated from: “Elaboration d’un module en économie verte” by Oumar KANDE, journaliste

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PAGE agencies meet in Geneva to design the Partnership’s future beyond 2020
May 1, 2019

9-11 April 2019, Geneva, Switzerland, the five UN agencies of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) met in Geneva to design the future of the programme beyond 2020. Convening representatives from UN Environment, ILO, UNDP, UNIDO and UNITAR, the 2019 PAGE Retreat discussed the partnership’s achievements and future objectives, building consensus on the key elements of the next phase up to 2030, to further advance inclusive green economy and transformational change in countries.

The Partnership was established in 2013 to support countries in addressing one of the greatest challenges of our time - building economies that improve human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Over the last years, it has grown into a successful global partnership of 5 UN agencies, 8 funding partners and 18 countries partnering with 138 national institutions and ministries involved. The PAGE family is gradually increasing and soon to reach 20 countries by 2020.

As PAGE is approaching the end of its first phase, partners were called to reflect on the Partnership model, its structure and its offer, taking into account the diverse nature of the PAGE countries, the evolving global context, and the growing level of awareness, commitment and enthusiasm of citizens, business leaders and policy champions to create a greener and more equitable world.

The retreat centred around a few key questions:

  • How has PAGE achieved impact in partner countries and beyond and how can this be scaled up?
  • What new opportunities can PAGE leverage to enhance its impact and the national, regional, and global level?
  • How can PAGE continue to act as a delivery mechanism to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agenda on Climate Change?

At the retreat, partners explored elements that PAGE could strengthen to support countries in achieving SDGs and implementing NDCs, in financing a green economy, and mobilizing the private sector and civil society. It also explored way in which PAGE could better monitor how green economy policies and strategies can generate tangible outputs for the society. To complement the support to countries during the first phase, agencies agreed on new modalities to foster South-South Learning and Triangular Cooperation, to further engage countries that have graduated and to leverage the convening power of sub-regional intergovernmental bodies. Inclusiveness and the need to ensure a just transition to greener economies was among the cross cutting themes identified during the retreat. Beyond 2020, PAGE will give a greater attention on the inclusive side of the transition to green economies and private sector engagement providing space for non-state actors, focusing on women, workers and youth.

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PAGE to support Indonesia low-carbon development path
May 1, 2019

26 March 2019, Jakarta, Indonesia - The Indonesian Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS) launches the groundbreaking report “Low Carbon Development: A Paradigm Shift Towards a Green Economy in Indonesia”, showing how the country could gain tremendous economic benefits by transitioning to a low-carbon economy. According to the report, a low-carbon development path could deliver an average of 6 % GDP growth per year until 2045, with continued gains in employment, income growth and poverty reduction.

The report is the result of the work of the Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI) with the analytical support of the New Climate Economy, WRI Indonesia, Climate Policy Initiative, Global Green Growth Institute, Overseas Development Institute, International Institute for Sustainable Development and The Nature Conservancy.

In October 2017, the Government of Indonesia declared its goal of integrating climate action into the country’s development agenda. The Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI) was launched by BAPPENAS to identify development policies that maintain economic growth, alleviate poverty, and help meet sector-level development targets, while simultaneously helping Indonesia achieve its climate objectives, and preserve and improve the country’s natural resources. It is coordinated by BAPPENAS and brings together several institutions from the Government of Indonesia, the international donor community, local and international partners, distinguished experts, and civil society. It aims to explicitly incorporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets into the policy planning exercise, along with other interventions for preserving and restoring natural resources.

At request of BAPPENAS, PAGE is currently supporting the Ministry of National Development Planning in developing a framework of support to be provided by various LCDI partners to the implementation of selected scenarios from the LCDI report. The selected LCDI scenarios will be incorporated into the National Mid-Term Development Plan RPJMN 2020-2024, seeking to establish a country that is developed and self-reliant, just and democratic, and peaceful and united. 
Together with other LCDI partners, PAGE is identifying activities to be implemented. Consultations have taken place with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund (ICCTF) and the UK Climate Change Unit (UKCCU) to develop the LCDI implementation support framework and to identify and review LCDI activities that could be supported by PAGE and the other partners involved.

Indonesia joined PAGE in 2018 with a strong political commitment to address major sustainability challenges and align the country’s growth agenda with its sustainability and climate goals. PAGE’s work is supporting the Government in integrating green economy principles and low-carbon development within its National Medium-Term Development Plan 2020-2024. Greater involvement with the Low Carbon Development Initiative presents a tremendous opportunity for PAGE. This work will contribute to the further alignment of the Partnership with national efforts to promote a low-carbon development path for Indonesia. PAGE's cost-effective, high-impact delivery model will also contribute to the objectives of the LCDI by promoting a strong sense of community, cooperation and collaboration among different stakeholders.

MORE DETAILS:

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PAGE Uruguay launches the country’s 1st award on circular economy
April 30, 2019

Uruguay, April 2019  - PAGE Uruguay launches “Uruguay Circular Award” the first national award for initiatives and projects that are contributing to the country’s transition towards a circular economy. The award will offer visibility and recognition to companies, entrepreneurs, communities and educational institutions whose processes, products or services advance circular economy principles and methods: reduce, reuse, repair and recycle. Organizations and individuals will have until the 6th of May to present their applications.

The initiative is promoted by PAGE Uruguay in collaboration with Transforma Uruguay (TU), the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM), the Ministry of Housing, Land Use Planning and Environment (MVOTMA) and UNIDO. This first edition includes six different categories: Large companies - MSMEs - Entrepreneurs - Cooperatives - Communities - Educational institutions. Applicants to each category will be evaluated in terms of the quality of the application, the degree of circularity, the strategic value, replicability, scalability and originality.

On June 5, the winners of 6 categories will be announced and will receive:

  1. Recognition, validation and visibility 
  2. Coverage for technical assistance
  3. Participation in national and/or international events

“Uruguay Circular Award” is part of a long path towards sustainability that Uruguay has embraced and PAGE is supporting. Recognizing the potential of circular economy to generate new businesses and jobs in an environmentally-conscious way.

As part of its work in the country, PAGE has facilitated the mainstreaming of circular economy into the overarching programme Transforma Uruguay, which is focused on promoting a productive transformation of the country’s economy with the main goal of increasing competitiveness.

Furthermore, PAGE is actively engaged with the project BioValor, which aims to transform the waste generated from small towns and agricultural and agro-industrial activities into energy and/or raw materials and supplies. The objective of this transformation is to develop a sustainable model of low emissions through the development and transfer of appropriate technologies.

PAGE is also involved with the promotion of sustainable production and services and is collaborating with national partners on the greening of the activities of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)— which represent the largest productive activity in terms of employment—and on the promotion of sustainable production and services.

As PAGE is focused on creating an enabling environment for transformative change, projects like the Uruguay Circular Award provide concrete examples on how PAGE work on policy development connect with project implementation, generating tangible impacts for society.

Find out more on Uruguay Circular Award at: www.uruguaycircular.org

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Sharing good practices on green industrial transition in China
April 29, 2019

18-19 April 2019, Beijing, China - PAGE and its partner, the Policy Research Center of Environment and Economy (PRCEE) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), organized an international seminar on Green Industrial Parks to exemplify good practices and lessons learnt from Jiangsu province.

The event featured the official launch of two PAGE reports - Green Transformation of Industrial Parks in China’s Jiangsu Province: A Synthesis Report and Measuring the Green Industry Progress of 18 Provinces in China - offering respectively a micro and macro perspective on the role of green policy instruments in China’s economic transition and the green transformation of industrial parks in China. 

China is at a critical moment: its economy is transitioning from a high-speed development model towards a high-quality sustainable development model that addresses environmental degradation and improves the working and living conditions of billions of people.

“China, with a most comprehensive industrial system of scale in the world economy, has a unique opportunity to transform its industrial structure into a more sustainable model through the greening of our industrial parks”, said Wu Shunze, Director-General of Policy Research Center of Environment and Economy (PRCEE) of Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) in China.  

In 2015, China joined PAGE at the provincial level in Jiangsu. Since then, PAGE has worked with the government of China and other stakeholders to strengthen measurements of green economy progress at the sub-national level, and to advise and improve sectoral policy in the areas of green industrial development and green trade. In 2017, the second phase of PAGE in Jiangsu was launched with a focus on green industrial transition and policy coordination in Jiangsu, particularly at the industrial park level.

In recent years, Jiangsu has seen growing momentum towards the promotion of green and eco- industrial parks, which feature higher level technology, and lower levels of resource consumption and pollution.

Accordingly, the seminar looked at how the Jiangsu experience could inform work on industrial parks in other provinces of China.  The two reports findings, policy recommendations and the further application of the PAGE Jiangsu assessments were discussed by PRCEE and UNIDO experts, senior representatives from the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and MEE and industrial park experts. Mr. Guo Fengyuan of MIIT commented that the PAGE Jiangsu Report offers a good baseline and reference to inform the national standards for green industrial parks currently being formulated by MIIT.

The two-day workshop also served as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogues and cooperation. Specialists from UNIDO, leading PAGE agency in the industrial development sector, shared invaluable perspectives on an international framework of eco-industrial parks, as well as an initial assessment of applying the global framework at selected Jiangsu parks. The role of green jobs in supporting the just transition at industrial parks was highlighted by Cristina Martinez, ILO Senior Specialist on environment and decent work. A PAGE China working group on Promoting Green Jobs through Social Dialogues has been formed, following a successful inception meeting with key national and provincial stakeholders including the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MoHRSS) in April 2019. Experiences were also shared by senior experts representing the Governments of Cambodia and Vietnam.

Home to more industrial parks than in the rest of the world combined, China’s experience and lessons learnt are worth sharing with other countries facing similar challenges in the green industrial transition. Under the framework of south-south cooperation, these reports will be further disseminated to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and better direct policy and technical assistance to other countries, as well as to inform global eco-park guidelines. 

As noted at the launch event by Tim Scott, UNDP Senior Policy Advisor on Environment: “Through forums such as this workshop, PAGE and the UN are facilitating South-South learning between the Governments of China, Cambodia, and Vietnam, as well as leading experts representing industrial parks and the private sector, universities, research institutes, and other international organizations. Eco-industrial parks are critical to advancing inclusive green economy approaches and broader efforts to accelerate progress on the SDGs and China’s closely aligned vision for an ecological civilization.”

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Mongolia and Peru a step closer to reach inclusive green economies
April 2, 2019

Two new policies integrating inclusive green economy principles have been recently approved in Mongolia and Peru, showing how PAGE support can effectively help countries to drive sustainability at the heart of policy making. Mongolia and Peru, PAGE partner countries since 2013, have undertaken long journeys towards sustainability and demonstrated a strong commitment to advance inclusive and sustainable societies where no one is left behind.

The recently approved “National Competitiveness and Productivity Policy” in Peru aims to increase and strengthen an inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The policy includes nine priorities to boost the competitiveness and productivity of the Peruvian economy by increasing social and economic infrastructures and services, investing on human capital and promoting decent work, improving access to finance, strengthening institutions and advancing sustainability and social inclusion. Among its nine priorities, the policy calls for environmental sustainability and aims to create green jobs and growth through 1) clean technologies and green industries; 2) circular economy and sound waste management and 3) bio-trade.


Furthermore, the nine priorities will lay the basis for the elaboration of a National Competitiveness and Productivity Plan that will define concrete actions and implementation measures as well provide a monitoring framework and indicators to move from policy to actions.


The approval of the policy represents a success for PAGE work in Peru, where the Partnership’s longstanding support has been focusing on the country’s green growth potential, sectoral policy reform and stakeholder engagement on green industry and green jobs, and capacity building and awareness raising in support of the inclusive green economy transition.


The National Competitiveness and Productivity Policy is indeed the result of a participatory process that brought together stakeholders from the public, private sector, academia, trade unions, international community and civil society. By bringing all actors together, the policy generated the consensus needed to define the way forward for an economic growth in the medium and long terms that will focus on social inclusion, poverty reduction and prosperity for all.


Another successful example of policy making for sustainability is the adoption of the National Policy in the Construction Sector in Mongolia. This policy represents another step towards sustainability in the country, where appropriate energy efficiency standards and a rating system for green buildings are among the priority areas of Mongolia’s National Green Development Policy (NGDP).


During the past years, PAGE has supported Mongolia in advancing its green development agenda with evidence-based policy appraisal of different options for implementation of the NGDP, and support for policy development and reform in specific sectors and thematic areas, such as green construction.


Furthermore, PAGE is supporting the formulation of a ‘business case’ for green buildings and is providing capacity development for stakeholders in the construction sector which should further foster up-take of green design elements for public and private buildings. PAGE has also contributed to the establishment of a multi-stakeholder Green Buildings Advisory Council.


The approval of the new construction policy is a confirmation of Mongolia’s commitment to a sustainable future and a signal of the country’s willingness to implement important economic reforms to advance inclusive green economy.

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Sustainable Tourism Workshop looks at opportunities for Green Economy in Mato Grosso
April 2, 2019

14 March 2019, Mato Grosso State, Brazil – PAGE partner organizations in Brazil, the State Secretariat of Tourism and SEBRAE, jointly conducted a Workshop on Sustainable Tourism for government managers and private and entrepreneurial Initiatives. The event brought together about 80 entrepreneurs and public managers to discuss  crucial challenges and opportunities for the sector, above all, the development of guidelines for sustainable tourism in Mato Grosso.

The State of Mato Grosso attracts many tourists every year, who enjoy the areas’ biodiversity and outdoor activities in a stunning landscape, such as in the Chapada dos Guimarāes National Park. The Northern Pantanal is the state’s most famous destination. With an area close to 200 000 km2, the Pantanal is one of the largest wetlands in the world, offering an amazing natural setting. The Pantanal contains a very high degree of biodiversity with hundreds of different species, which makes it famous for its remarkable wildlife attracting hundreds of tourists every year.

The workshop analyzed the main challenges and opportunities for the sustainable tourism in Mato Grosso, looking at collaborative networks, the role of public power, potential for private investment and possible paths for the development of sustainable tourism in the state. "We are going to prepare guidelines, and for this, we are doing a series of surveys, identifying economic data, practices that already exist in other states, certification standards as references, to build an agenda for Mato Grosso" said Alexandre Garrido, environment and sustainability consultant.

The event also gathered 34 entrepreneurs who work in several areas of the tourism sector. Lack of infrastructure, quality services and adequate skills are among the main obstacles pointed out by private sector representative when asked about the main challenges for tourism development in Mato Grosso. Participants also expressed the need to increase investments on sustainable tourism where the use of resources is environmentally responsible, socially just and economically viable.

Mato Grosso was the first subnational state to join PAGE in April 2016, and is currently receiving support from the Partnership on the development of the sustainable tourism sector, among others. In collaboration with SEBRAE, PAGE has been supporting the elaboration of guidelines for the standardization and certification of Sustainable Tourism Products as well as on the elaboration and promotion of financial strategies for sustainable certification in key products.

"We have developed a supportive work in search of international partnerships and investments, which can bring greater impact to the actions that are already happening," said Marcela Gaíva project assistant and PAGE representative.

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Advancing green development pathways in Guyana
March 25, 2019

9-13 March 2019, Georgetown, Guyana – The Guyana Green Economy Week featured a series of technical workshops, bringing together representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Guyana Revenue Authority, Ministry of Business, private sector, the media, the national chamber of commerce, donors, representatives of civil society organizations and research institutes among others. PAGE was represented by delegations from UNITAR and UN Environment.  

The workshops included a media training under the theme “Green Economy Concepts for Communications”, an economic modelling workshop, a green fiscal policies workshop as well as Green Conversations public event. The latter, convened in collaboration with a local partner, Conservation International (Guyana), explained green economy concepts to the general public under the theme, ‘International Best Practices in Inclusive Green Economy Transition.’

The Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 will be launched in 2019 as the main policy tool ensuring that Guyana’s development pathway promotes economic diversification and growth, social inclusiveness, and sustainable management of natural resources. Through the strategy and its recommended policy instruments, such as the establishment of the Natural Resources Fund, the income generated by the public sector from newly discovered oil reserves can be reinvested in green policies to encourage the transition and accomplish the objectives by 2040, and which will benefit all Guyanese over the long term.

With this in mind, PAGE recognises the crucial role of the media as a key partner in the implementation of the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 faithfully explaining the concepts and communicating good lessons and achievements to stakeholders in Guyana. Public awareness and understanding are essential for achieving buy-in and to appreciate long and short-term benefits. To this end, the media were instructed in effective green economy messaging of relevance to Guyana, as well as on how to identify and access trustworthy sources of information on green economy.

The two-day Green Economy Modelling workshop introduced System Dynamics Modelling methods and approaches to participants. The Workshop reviewed the modeling work undertaken in Guyana and provided a summary of the key results, running simulation exercises, whilst also interpreting results and Cost Benefit Analyses (CBA).

PAGE contributed to the elaboration of the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 by funding studies in economic modelling including assessments on the feasibility of green economy initiatives; green jobs, and green industry and trade assessments. In addition to presenting the findings of the modelling studies in the Strategy, PAGE work has also assessed the economic, social and environmental impacts of selected green policies. Guyana’s Economic Modelling Study (GEMS) used System Dynamics methods that assessed the impacts of a transfer of investments from Business-as-Usual (BAU) to green economy scenarios and how these affect a range of economic, social and environmental indicators. The modelling study evaluated the impact of the selected green policies in four priority sectors - energy, agriculture, forestry and road transport, to 2040. 

Delivering the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 requires the mobilization of significant investments in infrastructure (transport, ICT, energy), health, education and other priority areas. According to estimates in Guyana’s GEMS, investment needed for green economy interventions in the four key sectors amount to GYD 1.05 trillion between 2018 and 2040, equal to 2.7 per cent of GDP. Green fiscal policies can play an important role in this context. 

By reflecting externalities in prices, mobilizing revenues, creating a fiscal space for green investment and broader fiscal reform, adopting green fiscal policies can support Guyana in the transition to an inclusive and sustainable long-term growth path. 

The Green Fiscal Policies workshop explored the role and benefits of green fiscal policies in addressing environmental externalities by including for example, resource use prices, which can promote shifts in producer and consumer behaviors and in mobilizing public and private revenues to support policy implementation. The Workshop consisted of a series of presentations, videos, interactive group exercises and knowledge sharing on green fiscal policies across different sectors. PAGE is discussing with the Government of Guyana how it can continue to provide support for on-going analysis of green fiscal options.

The final activity of Green Economy Week was a “Green Conversations” public event with the objective to continue the series of conversations with the public begun in 2018 in the context of the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 and on green economy principles. Speakers featured international green economy experts from UN Environment discussing international cases where green economy principles and carbon taxes were effectively applied.

PAGE will continue to support the implementation of the Strategy in Guyana and to help its people to progress along the pathway to a green economy.


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KAZAKHSTAN: ON GREEN DEVELOPMENT TRACK
March 19, 2019

In more than one way Kazakhstan is at a crossroads.

The strategic position of the largest landlocked economy of the world makes it a natural connector between China and Europe, between South Asia and Russia. Politically and economically, Kazakhstan seems to be at a crossroad also, with various directions in sight and some tough decisions to be made.

How can Kazakhstan reconcile...?

  • the aspiration to enter the club of the 30 most developed economies…

 …with social unrest and demands to improve the livelihoods of Kazakh people?

  • a commitment for economic transformation centred on sustainable development and renewable energy…

…with an industry heavily focussed on oil and extractives, accounting for more than 80 percent of electricity generation and responsible for one of the highest per capita GHG emission rates globally? 

  • low electricity prices emanating from reliance on fossil fuels…

… with goals to reduce the energy intensity of the national economy by 25 percent through 2020?

Adding to the political uncertainty, on 21 of February the President Nazarbayev signed a decree to dismiss his cabinet of ministers. The radical change came 2 days before the first official multi-agency visit of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) to the country.

Despite uncertainties, PAGE received a very warm reception and universal support for the transition of the country to an inclusive green economy in all meetings and consultations held.

During the period 28 February – 1 March 2019, the PAGE delegation met and had fruitful discussions with officials from the Ministries of Energy, Agriculture, National Economy, Industry and Infrastructural Development. A stakeholder consultation was organized, where more than 30 government and non-government organizations and officials took part.

The message the PAGE delegation received from various sides was clear: Kazakhstan is committed to a transition towards a green economy. Such transition is not seen as a contradiction to the social objectives declared by the president, on the contrary. Higher energy efficiency, green business opportunities, clean and efficient agriculture and integrated waste and water management shall contribute to a happier, wealthier, more productive Kazakhstan.

The direction is clear, but Kazakhstan still has a long way to go. In 2018 the Republic joined PAGE with the objective of achieving the ambitious targets set out in its National Development Strategy Kazakhstan 2050 and its Green Economy Concept (an IGE roadmap for the country). These targets include sourcing as much as 30% of its energy from renewables by 2030, increasing to 50% by 2050. At the sectoral level, Kazakhstan aspires to become a regional hub for green finance, which would provide further support for investments in green economy.

The Government is taking concrete steps to achieve green objectives, including through an overhaul of the Green Economy Concept and by integrating SDG targets and indicators into national planning. PAGE can support these efforts through macroeconomic assessment and evidence-based research. In strategic sectors – such as energy and waste, PAGE can provide policy support and guidance. To ensure the longevity of the green transition, PAGE will work with national learning institutions to ensure that human capital is developed in the country.

To get off to a good start, in the next 4 to 6 months, PAGE Kazakhstan will focus on stocktaking, partnership building and priority setting in collaboration with Ministry of Energy and other key national stakeholders. Over the next few months the Partnership will formalize its country present by hiring a full time national coordinator based in Astana.

 Stay tuned for more exciting inclusive green development from Central Asia!

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India hosts World Class Event on Partnerships for Inclusive Green Economy - Evening Dedicated to Memory of Ms. Shikha Garg
March 13, 2019

“Global Partnerships: Keys to Unlocking Resource Efficiency & Inclusive Green Economies” UNEA4 event, hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of India in association with UN Environment and the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), celebrated partnerships as fundamental platforms to break the logic of business as usual and move towards green inclusive economies leaving “no one behind”.

The event opened with the official launch of the 2018 PAGE Annual Report, showcasing progress and achievements made by the eighteen countries in their pathways to sustainability under PAGE, as well as the Partnership impact at the global level.

India is a new member of PAGE and the biggest member country now. Rahul Chhabra, High Commissioner for India, pointed out that India is leading in many environmental initiatives, particularly in the field of agro-ecology and transforming the practices and lives of over 500 000 farmers.  As India has one of the highest resource extraction rates in the world, and with an expected GDP growth rate of 6% in the coming years, he asked the question of how can we make better use of our resources?  and that Life cycle approach and circular economy will be key to strengthening resource security.

Mr. Arvind Nautiyal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Environment of India, said that “natural resources are the backbone of economic development, India is no exception, and we need to transform systems such that natural resource security is ensured in the long term, especially in light of the consumption-heavy pattern of India- there is scope for large improvements in resource productivity.”

As underlined by Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary of Environment for Germany, “transforming economies from brown to green globally, requires more than just ‘money’, and it’s about changing the logic around markets in general”. In this process, he added “collaboration is key; without this we will have no chance at achieving the SDGs.” Finally, he referred to PAGE as a potential platform that can effectively help with ‘leapfrogging’ and developing industries around renewable energy.

Satya Tripathi, Assistant Secretary General and Director of UN Environment, commending Germany great support through PAGE, called the Partnership as one of the most innovative and promising UN partnerships available to help countries reach the 2030 agenda.

 On the role of private sector, Antoine Sire, from BNP Paribas Group, called for systemic change in agricultural systems, noting that state and federal government can’t act alone. “Private sector can help, can channel private money but keep in mind ‘people don’t want to trade off their pension.” He noted that investors need to be combined with government, NGOs and good frameworks, allowing everybody on board, a new way of doing blended finance” he said, “there is huge and increasing pressure among investors to have this and I believe this can be upscaled to leverage funds for public goods.” 

High Commissioner Koleka Mqulwana from S. Africa noted that there were over 500 participants from over 50 countries, at the ministerial PAGE conference on 10th -11th Jan 2019 in Cape Town.  She stated that a fundamental shift from consumption and growth to circular economy needs financial and economic transitions. “Social inclusion is absolutely paramount, ‘no-one can be left behind’ and that work is fundamental to human dignity, so we need to concentrate on providing and improving livelihoods and work opportunities” she said, “we can and will expand and scale up the PAGE partnership beyond 2020”.


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New ‘hotspots’ tool pinpoints unsustainable consumption and production
March 14, 2019

UN Environment launched in March 2019 a new tool that allows countries to see “hotspots” of unsustainable practices in consumption and production.

The tool, known as the Sustainable Consumption and Production Hotspots Analysis Tool, is an online application that analyses the environmental and socio-economic performance of 171 countries over the past 25 years to provide scientific evidence of areas where improvement can be made.

The tool builds on a powerful national footprint calculator that combines environmental and socio-economic data with trade information. It allows the tracing of environmental pressures and impacts along the supply chain of the goods and services consumed within a given country, an essential dimension of our globalized economy.

“For a long time, we have known that we need to change the way we produce and consume goods and services to make better use of the planet’s natural resources. Now we have a tool that pinpoints where we need to be taking action if we want to make truly impactful change,” said Ligia Noronha, Director of UN Environment’s Economy Division.

“It is appropriate to launch this new tool against the backdrop of the Fourth UN Environment Assembly, where we are focusing on innovative solutions for environmental challenges and sustainable consumption and production.

“In that spirit, we hope that this innovative hotspots analysis tool helps put us on a more equitable and sustainable path.”

The tool integrates a wide range of data on raw material use, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, air pollution and health, land use and biodiversity loss. It provides data at national level as well as for 26 standard sectors.

The tool was tested by Argentina, Ivory Coast and Kazakhstan during the development phase, to ensure policy relevance and user-friendliness. It will be further tested in Bhutan and Rwanda in 2019.

The Sustainable Consumption and Production Hotspots Analysis Tool was developed by UN Environment, the One Planet Network, and the Life Cycle Initiative, in partnership with the International Resource Panel, Vienna University and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, with the support of the European Commission and Norway.

The tool, intended for use by policy experts, statisticians and the general public, can be accessed here: http://scp-hat.lifecycleinitiative.org/.

 For further information, please contact Moira O’Brien-Malone: moira.obrien-malone@un.org

About the One Planet Network

The One Planet network has formed to implement the commitment of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production. It is a multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development, generating collective impact through its six programmes: Public procurement, Buildings and construction, Tourism, Food systems, Consumer information, and Lifestyles and education.

The strategic objective of the One Planet network for the period 2018-2022 is to be recognized as the lead mechanism to support and implement the shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns, contributing as an effective implementing mechanism of Goal 12—Responsible consumption and production—of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 About the International Resource Panel

The International Resource Panel was launched by UN Environment in 2007 to build and share the knowledge needed to improve our use of resources worldwide.

The Panel consists of eminent scientists, highly skilled in resource management issues. Their reports distil the latest scientific, technical and socio-economic findings around global resource use. They provide advice and connections between policymakers, industry and the community on ways to improve global and local resource management. The Panel includes scientists and governments from both developed and developing regions, civil society, industrial and international organizations.

The Panel’s goal is to steer us away from overconsumption, waste and ecological harm to a more prosperous and sustainable future.

 About the Life Cycle Initiative

The Life Cycle Initiative is a public-private, multi-stakeholder partnership enabling the global use of credible life cycle knowledge by private and public decision makers to achieve global sustainability goals faster and more efficiently. Hosted by UN Environment, the Life Cycle Initiative provides a global forum to ensure science-based support to decisions and policies towards the shared vision of sustainability as a public good. It delivers authoritative opinion on sound tools and approaches by engaging its multi-stakeholder partnership (including governments, businesses, scientific and civil society organizations, and individuals). 

This article was orginally published on unenvironment.org

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Global Partnerships: Keys to Unlocking Resource Efficiency & Inclusive Green Economies
March 12, 2019

13 March 2019 (6:00-7:00 pm EAT) - PAGE is supporting the Government of India in organizing an event on Global Partnerships: Keys to Unlocking Resource Efficiency & Inclusive Green Economies at UNEA4.

The event will discuss the Government of India experience and main green economy initiatives as well as the role of partnerships in unlocking resource efficiency and greener and more inclusive economies.

Event objectives:

  • Explore new pathways to sustainability and inclusive green economies;
  • Showcase efforts underway in India and around the world to promote resource efficiency;
  • Discuss the Government of India’s initiatives like the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), to achieve sustainable consumption and production.

Download here the agenda

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Our House is on Fire: On Greta, our Goals, and the Need to #SolveDifferent
March 1, 2019

Ulysses tied himself to the mast so that he would not hear the sirens; or if he did, he would at least not change course.

As I pulled into Delhi earlier this month for the Indo-German dialogue, I wondered if we ourselves have tied ourselves to the mast.

The atmosphere in Delhi was shocking - despite all best efforts to come to grips with air pollution, a dull haze blanketed the city, the particulate matter almost palpable with every breath.   

Well beyond the World Health Organization standards, the quality of the air in winter in Delhi has reached epic proportions, and one that goes well beyond an environmental question. It is affecting everyone.

During the dialogue, we touched upon the issues like these that are now becoming commonplace around the globe. The subtle and not so subtle erosion of public goods like clean air and water that we once took for granted - and how to face up to them.

One of the more riveting moments happened when someone in the audience asked, where is the drama? Where is the emotional force we need to tackle these issues?

My thoughts went immediately to Greta Thunberg, the courageous young teenager from Sweden who has singlehandedly started a movement to contest the status quo and the belief that we can do little.

Traveling to the World Economic Forum in Davos last month (by train, over 32 hours!) she delivered a wake-up call, under the heading of «Our House is on Fire ». And indeed, it is.

Like the air in Delhi, the statistics are shocking. The last five years are the hottest on record, the warming oceans are creating polar vortexes, and extreme weather events exceeded USD 155 billion last year according to Swiss Re. The data all points in one direction, and it one of continuous erosion and draw down of our common wealth.

So what to do? Clearly innovation and human ingenuity is a renewable and renewing resource that needs to be brought into play. And equally, we need to create a safe operating space for business and entrepreneurs and society to flourish and create value, while aiming for a « social floor » that meets the basic needs of all.

Fortunately we have a plan that can take us there - the sustainable development goals.  

Universal in nature, agreed by all governments, and covering a rainbow of basic needs for humans to flourish and thrive in the future, the goals also provide a symbol of our diversity and strength in going forward.

First, they come as a package: there is hardly one goal that can be achieved in isolation from the others.

Second, they provide a yardstick for measuring progress: the 17 goals and 187 targets and indicators provide a roadmap with milestones, and countries - all countries - can track their progress.

And third, they provide a metaphor. This struck me as I gazed on the symbol of the global goals on my colleague’s lapel.  A circle, the 17 goals are arrayed to form a colorful entry point to meeting basic human needs in the 21st century. 

And as a symbol, it is quite powerful, because apart from the evident diversity that mirrors our own diversity of cultures and peoples from around the globe, one can easily visualize the inner circle representing a social floor that Economist Kate Raworth has positioned at the center of our economies, to leave no one behind in terms of access to clear air, water, food, and shelter - the basic elements of human dignity and survival.

And the outer ring could easily represent the limits of our safe operating space, the planetary boundaries within which we must operate to create opportunity, income, prosperity and profits.  If we exceed the boundaries, we erode the base of our common wealth.

Reaching the goals will require courage, creativity, and clarity of purpose. It will require collective and individual efforts to align our actions and our investments. In short, it will require us to rethink our patterns of how we consume and produce, how we save, and spend, and invest.  

Fortunately, there are at least two or three major windows opening where world leaders of all stripes and sizes can come together to nurture and foster our collective ownership and progress on the goals.

The first is the next UN Environment Assembly, coming up in March in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme is on target: innovating to solve environmental challenges, by consuming and producing differently. We are challenged to live within - and think beyond.  

And to do this, we will need to #SolveDifferent. This is essentially about our lifestyles and how we produce and consume - which sits at the core of the sustainable development goals. 

The second is the World Circular Economy Forum, where a strong private sector focus guarantees that business leaders who understand the opportunities from enhancing resource efficiency and circularity have a chance to show their wares - and help shape the growing market for greener and more inclusive growth.

And third, our very own High Level Political Forum in July 2019, when the focus will be on SDG 8 and 17 among others - inclusive and sustainable growth with decent work; and partnerships to get us out of our silos. We expect heads of state to gather and focus their attention on not only their national agendas and commitments and progress but also the fragile state of our global commons.

Because in the end, the goals and the wider UN system itself will only be as strong as the commitment each of us and our nation states devote to it. The sustainable development goals need to be nurtured, stewarded, sustained, and invested in. They need to be embraced and upscaled. They need to be translated and owned by all if they are to serve their purpose.

2030 is not so far off. The future we were warned about, the sirens we heard earlier, have told us about the dangers many decades ago. Time to unbind the ropes and change course.    

And put out that fire in our common home.

This article was originally published on the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP)'s website.

 

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Start and improve your business - Green Entrepreneurship training in Senegal
February 28, 2019

17-22 December 2018, Centre Forest de Thiès, Senegal – A Green Entrepreneurship training workshop brought together 37 entrepreneurs from various sectors, mainly active in the management of plastic waste, the manufacture of solar equipment, energy efficiency in the transport of dairy products in rural areas and the operation of mobile solar kiosks. The workshop also brought to practice 19 “Start and Improve your Business” (SIYB) Programme (GERME) trainers.  

GERME (Gérez mieux votre entreprise) is a management training programme developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with a focus on starting and improving small businesses with the objective to create more sustainable jobs for women and men, especially in emerging economies. It allows entrepreneurs to develop and improve their skills in procurement, stock management, marketing, cost estimation, maintenance of accounting records, planning of activities and human resources management.

With a well-estimated awareness program in more than 100 countries, it is one of the largest global programs in this field.

Together with the Partnership for Action of Green Economy (PAGE) and the Green Jobs Opportunity Support Program (PACEV), ILO organized a first workshop in November 2017 to further strengthen a pool of trainers from Senegal and Burkina Faso already being trained within the GERME programme. In the GERME process, the implementation of programs first passes through the trainers who later accompany the ultimate beneficiaries.

At this second stage of the training, the trainers provided coaching for female and male entrepreneurs, with the support of an SIYB master trainer. The training provided the basis for promoting the integration of the environmental dimension in the supply, production and marketing functions of existing companies' goods and services; orientation towards green business ideas and, where appropriate, the creation of green businesses in Senegal.

 Important and interesting results were obtained on the knowledge of environmental challenges, consequences and solutions; about the green business as a concept and its benefits, about the characteristics of a green entrepreneur and green business ideas; on the steps of creating a green business; on the greening of production processes and the monitoring and evaluation of the appliance.





Find out more about the Green Jobs Opportunity Support Program (PACEV), the GERME Methodology and PAGE’s and ILO’s involvement:

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), supports the Green Jobs Opportunity Support Program (PACEV). PACEV (Programme d’appui à la Création d’opportunités d’Emplois Verts) is a joint program of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and UNDP. Its purpose is to ensure the sound management of the environment and resources and to reduce poverty by creating green jobs.

ILO’s support consists of improving the skills of eco-entrepreneurs who are beneficiaries of PACEV. The objective is to reinforce their capacities in creation and management of companies oriented towards the protection of the environment.

In this support, the ILO is using the GERME Network. The GERME methodology meets the training needs of potential entrepreneurs and those in practice starting from the business idea to the improvement of management skills through the creation of viable businesses. This methodology provides a differentiated response depending on the level of education of the ultimate beneficiaries, the problem of the creation and management of companies. It is applied in more than 120 countries around the world and is placed in most training programs of governments and development organizations.

The biggest innovation in the environmental dimension has been the development of the Green Enterprise Brochure (BEV). This brochure takes into account the three dimensions of the methodology (orientation to self-employment, business creation and business management) with a "green view". The Green Business Brochure is part of the GERME product series and the Green Jobs package from the ILO.

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Making the Money Flow - Unlocking finance for circular and green economies in Asia
February 25, 2019

Friday 25 January 2019, Marine Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore – “Making the Money Flow” the side event to the third session of Asia Pacific Ministerial Forum, jointly organized by PAGE, UN Environment Finance Initiative and the government of Korea, explored best practices of innovative financing to tackle environmental challenges and support sustainable consumption and production.

His excellency Cho Myung-rae, Minister of Environment, Republic of Korea, opened the floor with a keynote speech highlighting PAGE’s novel approach in bringing expertise from across UN agencies to support countries with their ambitions for lower carbon, more sustainable and more inclusive economic growth. Underlining Korea’s commitment to PAGE as a founding member since 2013, the Minister noted with satisfaction the growing regional engagement with countries across Asia and more widely across the globe.

Since its origins PAGE has functioned as a partnership of equals that work together across disciplines to deliver strong analytics, policy advice and capacity development for more sustainable economies. UN Environment, providing an overview of PAGE, looked at the tremendous opportunities to further align the Partnership with the sustainable development goals in the period beyond 2020. PAGE and other partnerships are indeed essential instruments to unlock finance needed to make the 2030 Agenda a reality.

Following the keynote speech and PAGE presentation, the event featured a lively discussion moderated by the CEO of Eco-Business, and included the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Association of Bankers in Singapore, and other distinguished panelists.

Highlights included:

  • Recent innovations in unlocking private finance for sustainable development abound in Asia, which has become a center of gravity for sustainable finance. The Monetary Authority of Singapore pointed to new requirements for sustainability reporting and a growing prevalence of green bonds as indicators of this new momentum, underscoring the need for partnerships between public and private sectors to reach full effectiveness.

  • Although the task of financing the sustainable development goals and reducing climate risk can seem daunting, the rate and pace of progress in new financial vehicles for green finance is encouraging.  Noted in particular was a growing ability to raise project finance for renewables and green infrastructure, as well as advances in data and technology to better understand and measure the sustainability impacts of investing.

  • Nonetheless, much ground remains to be covered including better definition of regulatory framework for “transition risks” due to uncertainty surrounding national policies, particularly with regard to carbon pricing.   Promising steps such as the Network for Greening the Financial System, led by the Central Bank of France, were also noted.

  • Ultimately, progress in making the money flow will depend on a strong alignment between national policy and investment planning frameworks of the type promoted by PAGE, and engagement of the private sector in backing them up with sound investment.   A systemic approach to greening finance while desirable and probably inevitable need not delay the strong efforts already underway in Asia and beyond to make finance a driver of sustainability.

Watch the whole session here

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