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03 July 2023

People at the heart of PAGE work – Rita Chiletto

Discover the fourth interview featuring people that have collaborated with PAGE at a given time. The purpose is to voice experiences, opinions, and insights on how the green economy is evolving and how the green economic transformation is being implemented around the world. Meet Rita Chiletto, who has been collaborating closely with PAGE since 2013.

 

“We have promoted a revolution in the use of the concept of the green economy in the State of Mato Grosso (…) it was found that our government programs are aligned to the SDGs in more than 80%”

 

Rita Chiletto is a Government Manager with a background in Planning and Management by the State Government in 2001. Graduated in Architecture, she has a specialization in Public Policy (2002) by the the ADESG – War Superior School Association and a master’s degree in Environment and Regional Development Policies by the Federal University of Mato Grosso (2005).

International Affairs Office Coordinator of the Mato Grosso Government  since 2015, Ms. Chiletto articulates state policies at the international level; organizes international missions and coordinates the Governor’s Agenda for overseas travel, promoting actions aimed at partnerships and agreements between Mato Grosso government with foreign entities and governments.

Q1. When was your first contact with the PAGE team?

In 2015 I got the opportunity to learn about the topic of Green Jobs in a lecture given by the representative of ILO, Mr. Paulo Muçouçah, in the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso, which caught my attention. Through him, I was informed of the existence of the PAGE programme and then we decided to plead for the partnership for Mato Grosso.

 

Q2. What was the Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) perception at that time?

In the state of Mato Grosso, sustained by its agribusiness and cattle-raising economy and large exporter of commodities, there were several individual initiatives of the producing segments aimed at promoting Inclusive Green Economy, whether in livestock or agriculture, but without articulation among themselves.

We were able to learn from IGE concepts and propose comprehensive public policy frameworks that had a significant outreach in the State of Mato Grosso. [...] We have promoted a revolution in the use of the concept of the green economy in the State of Mato Grosso.

Q3. How has IGE evolved in the State of Mato Grosso since then?

During the inception year of Mato Grosso in the PAGE program , we realized that the activities would have a greater impact if the State Secretariats were more involved in their design, facilitating their implementation together with the 5 UN Agencies. So for this, it was decided that each activity is linked to one government entity and to different stakeholders. Thus, having made and worked with different partnerships, we were able to learn from IGE concepts and propose comprehensive public policy frameworks that had a significant outreach in the State. PAGE enabled Mato Grosso to realize the importance of the sustainability agenda when developing policies in several work areas.

Q4. What are the new perspectives of IGE in the State of Mato Grosso?

I can say that we have promoted a revolution in the use of the concept of the green economy in the State. The four-year governmental planning was analyzed by UNDP and it was found that the Government Programs are aligned to the SDGs in more than 80%; the PPA – Multi-Year Plan 2020-2023 is already being prepared based on the SDGs; the Secretary of Science and Technology will carry out a major campaign to motivate municipalities to adhere to the concepts contained in the SDGs and start considering the state’s cities as innovative cities, bringing together the concepts of innovation and urban sustainability.

We work in PAGE with family farming, sustainable tourism, the environment, medium and large livestock farming, sustainable public procurement, and sustainable construction, among other relevant topics. Our ambition is to broaden the application of the IGE in these areas as we identify others. The Bioeconomy, for example, stands as a perspective of economic development with social inclusion and environmental preservation. We are gathering projects in this area to make the necessary resources available. Biogas is a project we are starting to develop, in partnership with Unido, aimed at small, medium and large producers in the state.

The bioeconomy stands as an unequivocal possibility of a solution based on the Green Economy with positive impacts on medicine, clothing, agriculture, livestock and food industry, among others, besides promoting economic and social development. The countless mineral, vegetable, and biodiversity richeness contained therein are fundamental to be used for the benefit of the entire worldass population. Deforestation is the probable reality of the States whose resources are insufficient and which do not have adequate technologies or policies to face it.

Q5. What are the challenges and opportunities for IGE to be extended to all Brazilian Federal States?  

Great point! In my opinion, Page is the ideal program to be implemented in the Amazon states for several reasons.

The Amazon is currently a matter of global concern due to its importance in maintaining temperature and climate. There is an international perception based on the dichotomy between the local population and the Amazon Forest, when it should be the forest’s population, because the forest is their only and guaranteed means of survival, therefore, the people who live there work for its maintenance as its guardians, but many are unaware of this. Furthermore, it is not possible to think about the forest without considering the people who live there. The bioeconomy stands as an unequivocal possibility of a solution based on the Green Economy with positive impacts on medicine, clothing, agriculture, livestock and food industry, among others, besides promoting economic and social development. The countless mineral, vegetable, and biodiversity richeness contained therein are fundamental to be used for the benefit of the entire worldass population. Deforestation is the probable reality of the States whose resources are insufficient and which do not have adequate technologies or policies to face it.

I would have more arguments to add, but the nine Amazon States translate possibilities and immense challenges, since their heterogeneity in size and socio-economy makes each one a unique example to be analyzed.

Observing the fruitful work developed by PAGE in Mato Grosso and given the convergence of objectives, the Governors’ Climate & Forests Task Force – GCFTF – a platform of subnational governments that provides the basis for cooperation on numerous issues related to climate policy, financing, technology exchange, and research – understood the relevance of the partnership and is committed to continue the work with relevant Amazonian actors and subnational governments in Brazil. This would mean for both (PAGE and GCFTF) an important opportunity to act with strong repercussion in the international sustainability agendas, since the GCFTF acts in the entire Amazon. In Brazil it gathers nine states and 808 municipalities, being 22 in Acre, 62 in Amazonas, 16 in Amapá, 217 in Maranhão, 141 in Mato Grosso, 144 in Pará, 52 in Rondônia, 15 in Roraima, and 139 in Tocantins.

We are very aware of how the UN urges increased support to the preservation of the Amazon, for environmental protection, while contributing at the same time to economic growth and social issues. I affirm that Brazil and the states that make up the Legal Amazon are ready and willing to collaborate towards the 2030 Agenda and the implementation of the SDGs.

Finally, the Government of Mato Grosso, as an active participant in the Governor’s Climate and Forests Task Force – GCFTF, I invite you to learn more about what we have been doing related to IGE initiatives to promote sustainable development in the State.

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