Green Jobs Conference in Niigata
Mounting environmental pressures including climate change, adaptation to it and efforts to arrest it by reducing emissions have far-reaching implications for economic and social development, for production and consumption patterns and therefore for employment, incomes and poverty. In the current environmental debate, however, labour issues are only featured marginally, overlooking the fact that the benefits for employment and development are vital for making many sustainability measures technically feasible, economically viable and socially acceptable.
In response, the International Labour Organization, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme and the International Trade Union Confederation announced the launch of their “Green Jobs Initiative” last year (http://www.unep.org/labour_environment/features/greenjobs.asp). In line with the Green Growth model, green jobs are defined by the ILO-UNEP-ITUC initiative as decent work created in economic sectors and activities that reduce the environmental impact of production and consumption, with the aim to achieve sustainable enterprises, equitable development and low-carbon societies. Green jobs include employment that help to reduce energy and raw material consumption, de-carbonize the economy, protect and restore ecosystems, and minimize waste and pollution. A wide range of economic sectors are potentially involved, including energy supply, transport, manufacturing, construction, retail, agriculture, materials management and recycling.
Conclusions of the Conference underlined the importance of putting the inter-relations between the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainable development on the map through the promotion of green jobs, providing input to the ILO contribution to the G8 Labour Ministers Meeting, scheduled for 10-13 May 2008. The recommendations of the Conference highlighted the role of employment policies to achieve Green Growth and create green jobs, and the invaluable commitment of workers’ and employment organizations in achieving sustainable development. Conclusions also emphasized that greener enterprises and green jobs are indispensible parts of the solution to climate change and environmental protection. Following the Conference, the ILO is establishing a knowledge-sharing network and initiating pilot projects in partnership with relevant organizations.
Over the years the Environment and Sustainable Development Division (ESDD) of ESCAP has been promoting eco-efficiency as a means of improving resource use efficiency and minimizing the impacts of pollution. Green Growth as a concept has been used for emphasizing the need to improve the ecological efficiency of the growth patterns of countries in the Asia-pacific region so that the much needed economic growth necessary for poverty reduction (MDG1) can continue without compromising the ecological efficiency (MDG7) of the region.
The Global Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program set up by the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) represented another opportunity for UNESCAP to contribute to ecological efficiency of the building sector of Thailand.
February 2008 marked a turning point for the joint initiative between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA), and William J Clinton Foundation's Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), with a seminar being held to introduce the energy efficiency retrofit programme for buildings in Bangkok. The programme is an outcome of the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit held at New York in May 2007, where Bangkok Governor Mr. Apirak Kosayodhin met with former US President Bill Clinton and agreed for Bangkok to be among the first 15 global mega-cities to participate in the CCI energy efficiency retrofit programme.
The event was attended by UNESCAP representatives and featured key speakers from BMA, UNEP, CCI, and Chulalongkorn University. Mr. Apirak delivered the key note address, with energy efficient mechanisms, delivery models and partnerships being in the focus of the seminar. The Bangkok retrofit programme is especially significant in the context of continually increasing rates of building construction in Thailand, and the United Nations Human Development report for 2007/2008 which indicates that Thailand now ranks 22nd among the top 30 carbon dioxide emitters in the world. This was echoed by Mr. Christopher Seeley, Bangkok coordinator of CCI, who stated that “approximately 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in cities are caused by buildings".
Deputy Bangkok Governor Mr. Bannasopit Mekvichai said the BMA's headquarters and district offices in the capital would be among the first to implement the retrofit programme, with eight hospitals under the BMA’s control next to be retrofitted. The process will provide for building audits, the identification of redesign opportunities for energy savings, and take advantage of cleaner renewable energy resources including solar energy. CCI's Mr. Christopher Seeley said buildings to be targeted next include shopping centres, hospitals, commercial offices, hotels, schools and universities and other large energy consumers.
A similar retrofitting programme has recently been commenced for UNESCAP buildings and facilities at Bangkok, with a comprehensive energy efficiency investigation being undertaken by UNESCAP Building and Facilities Management Unit, with support being provided by the Environment and Sustainable Development Division. While up to date improvements at UNESCAP have provided for considerable energy savings, there remains scope for additional improvements to achieve greater emissions reductions. First steps have included the installation of solar photovoltaic panels and wind mills on the UNESCAP service building. These together have a combined output capacity of about 10 kWe and are expected to reduce energy (electricity) consumption from the grid as well as associated emissions. It is anticipated that the installed capacity of renewable will increase as additional funds become available. An eco-efficiency audit will provide other options for the greening of the UNESCAP building and facilities. The UNESCAP will go to tender for the provision of eco-efficiency auditing services in the coming quarter. This will allow UNESCAP to provide a leading example of the implementation of eco-efficiency concepts in the Asia and Pacific region.
BIO-ENERGY / ASIA-PACIFIC SEMINAR Thailand urged to lead shift to 'green growth' By ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT from Bangkok Post
Thailand and other
countries in the Asia Pacific region need to focus more on the concept of ''green
growth'' by balancing economic growth with ecological sustainability, a seminar
was told yesterday.
Thailand was singled out as one of the most suitable countries in the region to
embrace the idea, as His Majesty the King's sufficiency economy philosophy is
seen to be very much in line with the green growth methodology.
Rae Kwon Chung, director of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific said however, that Thailand's governments needed to better articulate
and interpret the King's concept into real action.
Speaking at a seminar on Bio-energy Sector Development, he said some
countries in the region, including China and Cambodia were taking steps to
incorporate green growth policies.
''In May last year, China introduced a plan of action. Cambodia in November said
they will set up a national committee on green growth. Thailand is hopefully
doing something. What we need is a strong political will to pursue this path,'' he
said.''Through the encouragement of environmentally sustainable economic growth,
green growth aspires to eradicate extreme poverty in the region without
compromising the environment.''
The former Korean diplomat said regional governments, including Thailand,
needed to abandon the concept of ''grow first and clean up later,'' which was
damaging to the environment.
''We need a paradigm shift. We need to change the pattern of growth, not just looking at the production side but also consumption side.
''City planners and policy makers in this region have adopted the US lifestyle of
high consumption and high exploitation of resources for quantity growth,'' he
said.
''We might have to change now so that we can help solve the eventual climate
change.''
Bhutanese delegation visits ESCAP for a Capacity Building Seminar on Environment Mainstreaming and Using the Application of Green Growth Policy Tools in Sustainable Development Decision Making in UNCC Bangkok from 14-16 January 2008.
A small group of Bhutanese policy makers and civil servants partook in the workshop on environment and sustainable economic growth that the Green Growth team of ESCAP has designed for policy makers.
The capacity building consisted of presentations and discussions pertaining to the five tracks of Green Growth and their application in policies and measures.
Apart from the classroom based workshop, the Bhutanese delegation also went on a study-trip to see examples of sustainable production from the Royal Projects and Bangkok Chitlada Palace, sustainable living and building at Professor Soontorn's zero-emission "Bio- Solar House", and Shinawatra University in the northern outskirts of Bangkok.
The Royal Chitlada Palace in Bangkok has mainstreamed many eco-efficient innovations into marketable solutions
for the Thai population.
Bangkok December 10, 2007: ESCAP welcomes United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited ESCAP in Bangkok on the occasion of the World Human Rights Day. The SG spoke about internal UN issues, challenges and opportunities for an integrated UN to fight climate change. He also emphasized the importance of inclusive development and urged developing countries to take a lead in addressing the current challenges to sustainable development and environmentally sustainable economic growth.
The Green Growth approach has been singled out in several occasions by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as the dawn of “the age of green economics” and a strategy for achieving climate change resilient societies in the Asian and Pacific region.
Beijing 17-19 December 2007: Expert Group Meeting on the transfer
of Environmentally Sound Technologies
The Expert Group Meeting on Enhancing Development and Transfer of Publicly Funded
Environmentally Sound Technologies through South-South Cooperation will be held
from 17 to 18 December 2007 in Beijing, China at the premises of China Standard
Certification Centre,
Beijing, China.|
UNESCAP and the secretariat of the Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth (SINGG)
are organizing an expert group meeting on Enhancing Development
and Transfer of Publicly Funded Environmentally Sound Technologies through
South-South cooperation in the region in collaboration with the China Standard
Certification Center,
China (CSC) and the Asia Pacific Center for Technology
Transfer (APCTT) with generous funding from the Government of Republic of Korea.
The main focus of the meeting will be to review the existing situation, policies
and emerging opportunities to enhance south-south cooperation on publicly funded
EST development diffusion and transfer.
The meeting will explore ideas on a number of issues such as national policies,
regional collaboration, existing networks and institutions, information sharing
and dissemination, and opportunities to promote publicly funded environmentally sound technology development and transfer
through
South- South cooperation.
