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The Global Academy on the Green Economy 2023

Policymakers from over 20 countries explored new frontiers at Global Academy on the Green Economy

The 5th edition Global Academy on the Green Economy ended successfully on 13 October 2023. A total of 90 policymakers and policy advisors from 22 partnering countries completed a 3-week training programme designed and delivered under the auspices of the UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) on state-of-the-art and emerging green, just and circular economy policies.

Under the theme “New frontiers for resilient, inclusive and green economic transformation”, the academy explored frontier approaches and shared country experiences on topics ranging from the circular economy to green finance, just energy transition, green industrial policies, and nature-based solutions. The event gathers policymakers, UN agencies and non-state actors to share country efforts and experiences towards a more sustainable, inclusive and green economy.

The main purpose of the academy is exactly to bring together that diversity of experiences and insights, so that we can learn from each other […] share our different entry points to the green economy. […] All of us have a key role to play.

Rie Vejs Kyeldgaard - Director Partnerships and Field Support Department - ILO - square
Rie Vejs-Kjeldgaard, ILO Director of Sustainable Enterprises, Productivity and Just Transition and member of the PAGE management board

In her opening remarks Rie Vejs-Kjeldgaard, ILO Director of Sustainable Enterprises, Productivity and Just Transition and member of the PAGE management board, highlighted the diversity of the stakeholders coming from all over the world with different social and economic contexts. She spoke on behalf the PAGE management board.

The PAGE Management Board is responsible for making management decisions at the global level, such as workplan approval and selection of countries. Membership of the PAGE Management Board includes director-level representatives of PAGE agencies.

“The main purpose of the academy is exactly to bring together that diversity of experiences and insights, so that we can learn from each other […] share our different entry points to the green economy. […] All of us have a key role to play.”, she said.

The Academy paid due attention to the challenges faced by green economy policymakers worldwide in navigating environmental and social policy commitments in a time of complex socio-economic contexts and multidimensional crises. A central aspect of the Global Academy was the quest for policies and strategies that deliver not only on environmental objectives but also on social justice, resilience, and equality.

The PAGE Academy is tremendous platform for policy-makers and practitioners to shar insights and innovation through South-South exchange. [...] We need more initiatives like PAGE that unite the UN and countries to accelerate progress the 2030 Agenda and our linked goals for climate action, conservation, human rights and social progress through a just green transition.

Mr. Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia
Mr. Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia

“Germany has been supporting PAGE since the beginning. (…) [The Academy] is a great format that PAGE has set up because it relies on PAGE main philosophy of peer-learning”, said Dr. Veronica Tomei, Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection, Germany and member of the PAGE steering committee. She spoke on behalf of the PAGE steering committee during the opening of the event.

The United Nations resident coordinator in Mongolia Topan Mishra connected online to open the academy. In his intervention, he underlined the collaboration of PAGE with the UN Resident Coordinator Offices and UN Country Teams to support countries to advance a job-rich green economic transformation within and across countries. “Such collaboration – which leverages the full expertise and convening power of the UN System and UN Country Teams – is essential if we are to succeed in moving from a recovery to a systemic recalibration of our economies.”, he said.

Topan Mishra highlight PAGE’s work in Mongolia – supporting the country’s National Green Development Policy. “PAGE has helped Mongolia to integrate Inclusive Green Economy priorities into national and sectoral plans, and strengthened the institutional capacities of and catalyzed action by public institutions, research institutes, civil society, and private sector partners. […] PAGE has facilitated South-South collaboration and peer-to-peer including between Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan on green finance.”

He concluded that there is a need for more  initiatives like PAGE that unite the UN and countries to accelerate progress the 2030 Agenda.

In the spirit of new frontiers, the Academy offers a unique opportunity for inspiration and guidance through global knowledge sharing, comprehensive and peer-reviewed training materials, quality programmes and resources, and different learning methodologies.

The event is led by the ILO and supported by the other PAGE agencies. It brings participants from the private sector, public sector, and civil society. The training was tailored to individual and organizational needs.

Germany has been supporting PAGE since the beginning. (…) [The Academy] is a great format that PAGE has set up because it relies on PAGE main philosophy of peer-learning

Dr. Veronica Tomei, Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, BMUV, and member of the PAGE steering committee
Dr. Veronica Tomei, Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, BMUV, and member of the PAGE steering committee

Experimenting with a New Format

For the first time, the Global Academy on the Green Economy offered a blended format that combined two weeks of on-line training through webinars and self-guided learning modules with a 1-week face-to-face segment at the ILO training centre in Turin. The face-to-face segment ended today with South-South learning sessions and a knowledge fair featuring knowledge products developed by the PAGE partners, collaboration with UNRCO Economists and used in PAGE countries and beyond.

In Turin, PAGE also held a workshop for the National Coordinators and UN agencies Focal Points involved in the implementation of the Partnership and managing PAGE work at country level. The workshop aimed to collect experience-sharing and input around operational and substantive aspects of PAGE’s work at country and global level.

PAGE National Coordinators are responsible for managing all activities on behalf of all PAGE agencies with national and local-level partners. The National Coordinators support PAGE engagement and policy coordination related to PAGE in their countries, including identification of linkages with important national and international processes, such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

PAGE

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is an alliance of five UN agencies (UNEP, ILO, UNDP, UNIDO and UNITAR), funding partners, and 22 partner countries that work together to transform economies into drivers of sustainability by supporting nations and regions in reframing economic policies and practices around sustainability.

Thanks to its integrated vision and strategy and the support of its board and a wide range of partners, PAGE is recognized as a model to deliver coordinated support of UN to countries for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets of the Paris Agreement.

The PAGE 2022 Annual Report highlights achievements from the ongoing work in 22 partner countries.

  • European Commission
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