Gothenburg University Inclusive Green Economy Göteborg University Inclusive Green Economy En omfattande utmaning i de deltagande länderna (Etiopien, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania och Uganda) är att åstadkomma en uthållig kombination mellan ekonomisk tillväxt och en hållbar miljö. Detta i sin tur fordrar en transformation mot 'Inclusive Green Economy (IGE)'. IGE bygger ekonomisk tillväxt samtidigt som välfärd, social jämlikhet och reducering av miljöförstöring.

Programmet kommer att bygga på de deltagande ländernas nuvarande arbete inom IGE. I dessa länder är statsförvaltningens kapacitet i nuläget otillräcklig vad gäller att framgångsrikt förena miljömässigt hållbara policys med ekonomiska policys som underbygger ekonomisk tillväxt. Nuvarande verktyg har visat sig vara otillräckliga (medvetandegörande, lagstiftning och regelverk). Istället behöver de deltagande länderna vässa policyinstrument som exempelvis skattesystem, avgifter, utsläppsrätter, gröna investeringar och miljösubventioner.

Deltagarna kommer huvudsakligen att vara (1) seniora statstjänstemän med stort engagemang och inflytande inom statsförvaltningen och (2) politiska beslutsfattare på hög nivå. Dessa två målgrupper kommer huvudsakligen att rekryteras från ministerier (exempelvis finans, jordbruk, energi, skog, vatten och transport). Andra målgrupper kommer från akademin och civilsamhället. Den viktigaste förutsättningen för ett framgångsrikt kapacitetsutvecklingsprogram är strategisk rekrytering av deltagare som sammantaget inom ramen för sina respektive organisationer och länder kan bidra till att reformera policy och implementering (både på institutionell nivå och på system-nivå). Combining economic growth with environmentally sustainable policy and practice is a major challenge in the five participating countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda). This requires a transformation shift towards an Inclusive Green Economy (IGE). IGE underpins economic growth while at the same time improving human well-being and social equity, and reducing environmental risks. 

The program will be building on the participating countries’ own current work on IGE. Governmental capacities to successfully combine environmentally friendly and economically successful policies are currently insufficient. The program activities will emanate progressive policy and implementation of policy, combining economic growth and environmental sustainability. There is hence a demand to sharpen present policy and practice instruments. For example, such instruments include taxes, fees, pollution charges, green investments and subsidies. 

Participants will typically be highly influential and committed (1) senior civil servants (primarily economists) in government and (2) high-level policy- and decision-makers. These two target groups will mainly be recruited from key government ministries, such as finance and planning, agriculture, energy, forestry, water and transport. Other target groups come from academia and civil society. Key determinants for an impactful capacity development program is strategic recruitment of individual participants that together will be able to progressively reform policy and practice, both at institutional and system level. The main objective is to strengthening countries capacity for conversion to an Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) in the program countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. This will be achieved through increased knowledge on, and application of, economic instruments, organizational change, and promoting national systems for Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) and transparent institutions in these countries.

More specifically the following outputs (at system level, at organizational level and individual level) are expected in order to reach the above mentioned main objective:

System level: (i) Strengthened national system for green economy transformation; (ii) Improved cooperation between organizations and sectors in the region/country; and (iii) Enhanced application of economic instruments for Inclusive Green Economy (IGE).

Organizational level: (i) Increased capacity for Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) and application of economic instruments to achieve Agenda 2030; (ii) Increased priority to operationalize Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) and economic instruments; (iii) Introduction of Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) applications via program projects; and (iv) support for ongoing Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) processes and reforms.

Individual level: (i) Peer to peer learning, self-leadership skills, and increased understanding of Inclusive Green Economy (IGE), skills to operationalize it in practice, and knowledge on the usefulness, risks and opportunities of applying economic instruments to achieve sustainable development objectives; (ii) Increased knowledge of organizational changes necessary to promote Inclusive Green Economy (IGE); and (iii) Expanded international, regional and national networks.