THE GREEN ECONOMY LEARNING CHALLENGE

The Rio+20 Conference in 2012 provided a major international momentum to advance the green economy concept and its focus on integrating environmental and social considerations in macro-economic planning and policy making. More recently the principles of an ‘inclusive green economy’ (IGE) have been reiterated through the Sustainable Development Goals, for example Goal 8 which calls for “sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”.

The effective translation of the IGE concept into national policies creates challenges as well as opportunities, of which scaling up learning and skills development is one important area. Topics such as valuing natural capital, ecosystem services, advancing resource efficiency, or green economy modelling and assessments, are often unfamiliar to decision-makers in the public and private sector. Yet, awareness, knowledge and skills related to these topics are a key determinant for IGE policy analysis, reform and implementation at all levels.

Beyond targeted training for decision-makers the transition towards an inclusive green economy requires national education and training systems to respond to new and changing skills needs. There will be decreased demand for some jobs (e.g. in the production and use of fossil fuels) and increased demand for others (e.g. in the area of public transport). The development of new technologies and practices also results in the emergence of some entirely new occupations, such as solar technicians. Moreover, skills profiles within existing occupations will change (e.g. climate-smart agriculture skills needed by farmers) (ILO 2011).

 To address IGE learning needs in a systematic manner, some countries have taken steps to take a strategic and long term approach to green economy learning, including strengthening of national learning institutions. For example, the PAGE partner countries Mongolia and Ghana have initiated the development of a National Green Economy Learning Strategy/Action Plan with a view to define learning priorities and strengthening  the capacity of national institutions to provide IGE learning. The strategies also help to raise the visibility of education and training as a means to achieve green economy objectives.

The Importance of Learning Institutions

To address the increasing demand for IGE learning and capacity development, a growing number of development partners and initiatives offer training programmes that mainly target decision makers and professionals. In addition, national learning institutions in developed and developing countries, such as universities or professional training institutes, have started to explore how to integrate green economy considerations in their curricula and learning activities. Opportunities for strengthening institutional capacities to deliver IGE learning  range from integrating green economy principles in existing courses (e.g. in economics, tourism, or engineering courses) to developing and delivering a full-fledged university green economy course. In the area of vocational education and training, curricula are changed to adapt to the greening of existing jobs and the emergence of new green jobs.

Ultimately, building up institutional capacities to deliver green economy learning can help to build sustainability beyond individual training events that are supported by external resource persons.

Background Documents

The following publications may serve as useful background documents for anyone who wishes to obtain a better understanding of challenges and opportunities related to IGE learning:

• ILO (2011) – Skills for Green Jobs: A Global View
• Inter-Agency Working Group (IWG) on Greening TVET and Skills Development (2013) – Meeting Skills Needs for Green Jobs
• OECD (2015) – Green Skills and Innovation for Inclusive Growth
• OECD (2015) Boosting Skills for Greener Jobs
• PAGE (forthcoming) – Green Economy Learning Strategies/Action Plans
• UNESCO-UNEVOC (2015) – Unleashing the Potential – Transforming TVET
• UNESCO-UNEVOC (2014) – Promising Practices in TVET: Green skills and youth employment

Agenda and Target Audience

The Forum took place over a 3-day period (back-to-back with OECD’s Green Growth and Sustainable Development Forum, 14-15 December 2015).

Click here to view the Agenda.

The Forum brought together around 100 professionals engaged in IGE learning and capacity development from national, regional and global institutions. In particular, the Forum participants included:

•  Policy-makers/public officials engaged in green economy policy and capacity development
• Development partners active in green economy capacity development
• Representatives from education and training institutions (including universities, technical and vocational education and training institutions, professional training centers, etc.)
• Representatives of NGOs and business associations regularly delivering relevant trainings.

Paris Summary Statement

One of the key objectives of the 1st Global Forum on Green Economy Learning was to develop a summary statement, which reflects the discussions held, provides shared principles to support work on green economy learning, as well as a reference point from which to measure progress in the future.
Much of the final day of the Forum was devoted to capturing the momentum and input from the Forum resulting in the draft of the “Paris Summary Statement on Inclusive Green Economy Learning” as a final outcome.

Click here to read the Paris Statement on Green Economy Learning.

Forum report

The report summarizes a range of reflections, highlights and results from the Forum beyond the principles of action that are captured in the Paris Summary Statement. It features –inter alia– several conclusions from the individual sessions and working groups as well as results from the global survey and evaluation.

Importantly, the report outlines next steps that shall help strengthen the network’s capacity to deliver on the goal of up-scaling green economy learning.

Click HERE to download the Forum report

PHOTOS

https://www.flickr.com/photos/132132111@N07/albums/72157663870565826

Resources

Session 3 (Strategies and policies to promote inclusive green economy learning) featured a number of country case studies.

The respective presentations can be viewed below:

• Green economy learning strategy of Mongolia

Ms. Tumendemberel Bulgan, Director, Department of Green Policy and Strategic

Planning, Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism, Mongolia

• Existing initiatives that support countries in promoting green economy education and training –

Ghana’s perspective

Mr. Emmanuel Tachie-Obeng, Principal Programme Officer, Environmental Protection

Agency, Ghana

• Green skills development initiatives of the NCPC-SA

Mr. Wynand van der Merwe, Skills Development Manager, National Cleaner

Production Centre, South Africa

• Strategies and policies to promote inclusive green economy learning –

Example of France with the case project “Houses of employment and sustainable development”

Mr. Thomas Gaudin, Economics Department, Agency for Environment and Energy

Management (ADEME)

Survey and Registration

Global Survey on Green Economy Learning

In September-October 2015 PAGE conducted an online survey with the following objectives:

1. Map existing green economy learning activities and materials and explore opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
2. Identify professionals and institutions that are interested in participating in the Green Economy Learning Forum.

The online survey closed on 31 October 2015 and we thank all respondents for their contributions.

If you would like to be informed about the outcomes of the Forum or for any other inquiries please write to page@unitar.org.