Public - visible to all visitors to the platform.
Open to join - users can join this group without approval.
Invite only - users can only join this group if they are added/invited by group managers.
Green growth provides a means by which economic, environmental and social goals can be simultaneously achieved. It presents an opportunity to make existing industries more sustainable while at the same time encouraging new industries and a diversified economy.
Achieving a green and inclusive economy will be critical for tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. SMEs will play an indispensable role in achieving this economic transformation due to the large share of global business they represent. Accounting for about 99% of enterprises in OECD countries, SMEs also employ a significant share of people, especially in low-income countries, where they contribute to, on average, 78% of employment compared to 65% in high-income countries.
Due to their large numbers, the very diverse nature of their businesses and their typically small number of employees, the barriers to greening the operations of SMEs are generally more complicated to overcome than those for larger companies.
Created a Post in Climate Change, Industry and Entrepreneurship
World’s biggest shipping company is the first to order large carbon-neutral vessels that can sail from China to Europe and across the Pacific. Maersk ordered eight new vessels that can run on traditional bunker fuel and “green” methanol, to replace older ones as freight rates rocket amid a shortage of vessels to deal with the large demand following the COVID-19 lockdowns. Each vessel costs about 10-15 % more than a traditional ship given its dual-fuel engine. Maersk executives said they thought big customers were willing to pay up for green transport.
Created a Post in Industry and Entrepreneurship
HEINEKEN Green Challenge is inviting citizens to propose creative and innovative solutions for the Mexican countryside.
The challenge is looking for projects from the idea level to startups with growing sales that impact on:
• Innovation in the value chain of the agri-food sector • Fair trade and community development • Sustainable pest management • Crop diversity • Soil conservation, health and nutrition • Self-sustaining energy conservation and management • Productivity and climate change
Photo by analuisa gamboa on Unsplash
Created a Post in Green Recovery from COVID-19, Industry and Entrepreneurship
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are searching for Greenpreneurs to participate in business incubation and accelerator programmes.
The Eastern Caribbean Greenpreneursip Incubator Programme will offer a 12-week virtual training programme for existing, innovative, early-stage MSMEs. Entrepreneurs in the programme will be matched with mentors and will have the opportunity to enter a business plan competition for $10,000 in seed funding or interest-free loans up to $500,000.
Photo by Omar Eagle-Clarke on Unsplash
New Horizons Studio+ investigates ‘How to Green a Film Industry' in an open lecture with Fabian Lindner, green consultant for several broadcasters and film funds.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
"It would be useful to have clear information from the government on how to reduce the carbon we use." This is just one comment among many businesses in the UK who require government support with specific guidance to help them measure their carbon footprint.
A survey by the British Chambers of Commerce found that one in five businesses don't fully understand the term "net zero". Many SMEs in the UK still have no clue on how to work out their carbon footprint or where to start and mentioned a lack of finance as holding them back from improving their sustainability. It is interesting that the UK who has committed to speed up target to cut carbon emissions, particularly leading up to COP26, is still facing such challenges.
Do SMEs in other countries especially developing and least developed countries face similar if not bigger challenges to measure their carbon footprint? Share your experience!
Created a Post in Climate Change, Green Recovery from COVID-19, Industry and Entrepreneurship
Peru – one of the 20 PAGE partner countries – stands at a crossroads.
Three-quarters of its workers are informal or self-employed. The country’s diverse natural resources – which serve as the backbone of its economy and labour market – are also under threat.
So what is it doing to change the script? How is it addressing labour challenges and ensuring decent employment for all while also promoting green jobs as part of a just transition?
Find out in the latest episode of #TheGreenRenaissance podcast, as we sit down for an open discussion with Katia Samanamud (Ministry of Labour for Peru) and Ana Belén Sánchez López (International Labour Organization).
Give it a listen: https://bit.ly/3iNsiw3
Captions in English and Spanish: https://bit.ly/3i2OJ0Z
Major German corporate group sets the ambition to accelerate start-up solutions that remove carbon dioxide from the air via the newly launched EIT Climate-KIC ClimAccelerator carbon removal programme.
Created a Post in Green Recovery from COVID-19, Climate Change, Industry and Entrepreneurship
"On average, firm-level investments in resource efficiency can yield 15 tons of C02 equivalent emissions reductions and $14,700 in savings per year".
Check out the latest Green Industry Platform Insights blog by ITC's Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton on MSMEs going green to compete.
Created an Opportunity in Energy, Climate Change, Industry and Entrepreneurship
The European Union (EU) carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) announced on 14 July could change trade patterns in favour of countries where production is relatively carbon efficient but do little to mitigate climate change. The mechanism could help avoid carbon leakage, but its impact on climate change would be limited – only a 0.1% drop in global CO2 emissions – with higher trade costs for developing countries. At the same time, several of the EU’s trading partners exporting goods in carbon-intensive sectors – including cement, steel, aluminium, oil refinery, paper, glass, chemical and fertilizers – have raised concerns that the CBAM could substantially curtail their exports.