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Caribbean

Conference 2015

Implementing SAMOA Pathway and Advancing Sustainable

Development Goals in the Caribbean through Green Economy

23 – 24 February 2015 Kingston, Jamaica

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Caribbean Green Economy Conference

2015

Hosted by

Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Jamaica

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

In partnership with University of West Indies

Cover photo: Mel Stoutsenberger

The Government of Jamaica and UNEP are thankful for the generous financial support offered by the European Union for this conference and

the Caribbean Green Economy Initiative

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Information Note

Background

The outcome document – the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA)

Pathways – of the 3rd International Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Conference

endorsed green economy as an important tool for achieving sustainable development

and poverty reduction. It calls upon the United Nations system to strengthen support of

SIDS that want to pursue green economy policies. The discussions for Sustainable

Development Goals also call for promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic

growth and decent work for all.

SIDS, early on, realised the importance of managing their small and fragile ecosystems,

and creating wealth without compromising their underlying endowment of natural

resources. Many of them have innovated, prepared policies that increase resilience and

create comparative advantage in the face of resource constraints. However, islands by

definition have had to work hard in the face of geographical remoteness and resource

constraints.

Although Caribbean SIDS are biologically and culturally diverse nations that share

unique characteristics, they also face similar and increasing environmental, economic

and social challenges. The region is highly vulnerable to natural hazards which have a

direct impact on different economic sectors and people’s livelihoods. The natural

resource based economies of most SIDS are small but are also highly dependent on

imported fossil-fuels, a combination that makes them prone to sudden global economic

fluctuations. Moreover, poverty, unemployment and economic disparities are also

showing an upward trend in the region.

The call for Green Economy transformation is voiced as a way of reversing these

pressures and achieving inclusive, low carbon, resource efficient and circular economies.

The SAMOA Pathway calls upon nations to build resilient societies and economies,

including transitioning to a green economy, to achieve sustained, inclusive, and equitable

growth with full and productive employment, social protection and decent work for their

population.

Green Economy Initiatives in the Caribbean

Caribbean SIDS have innovated policies and practices that allow them to better manage

the ecological foundation of their economies. These islands are showing a renewed

commitment to creating and investing in a greener economy, that positions them for

growth and enhanced stewardship of their natural resources and wealth.

Current trends, however, show that the transition to an inclusive green economy requires

further investments, an enabling policy environment and a stronger role for the private

sector to sustain and stimulate ‘greening’ measures. Although the implementation of

sustainable development policies depends primarily on national action and leadership of

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SIDS themselves, the required changes at the international level need collective action

by all states and stakeholders. Broad partnerships could play an important role in

supporting development and the implementation of domestic policy reform.

The Green Economy Conference 2015

The Green Economy Conference 2015 is being hosted by the Government of Jamaica,

in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme and with the financial

support of the European Union. The conference is part of the project “Advancing

Caribbean States’ Sustainable Development through Green Economy”. More details

about the project are available at:

http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/AdvisoryServices/CaribbeanGreenEconomy/tabid/1

05702/Default.aspx.

This conference will be the second regional event under the Green Economy Initiative for

the Caribbean. The first conference was held in June 2013 and was hosted by the

Ministry of Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology of Saint Lucia.

Report of the conference and Chairman’s summary are available at:

http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/EventsConferences/CaribbeanGreenEconomyConfe

rence/tabid/106337/Default.aspx.

To be held on 23-24 February 2015, the Conference will bring together policymakers,

civil society, academia and the private sector to discuss cross-fertilization of ideas,

experiences and institutional innovations to transition to a green economy at the national

and regional levels and how these efforts can help in implementing the SAMOA Pathway.

Aims and Objectives

The overall aim of the conference is to share progress that Caribbean SIDS have made

in transitioning to a green economy, the best practices and lessons learnt from these

processes and identify key priorities to advance green economy transition in the

Caribbean, including under the mandate provided by SAMOA Pathway. The forward

looking discussions will be informed by public and private sector measures taken so far,

including with the support provided by UNEP through the Caribbean Green Economy

Initiative. While analyzing challenges, the conference will aim to identify strategies which

contributed to successful implementation of green economy actions at macroeconomic

and sectoral levels. The conference, in particular will aim to draw attention to the

potential role that private sector and investments can play in taking green economy

transition to the next level. It will also explore options for developing a living platform for

sharing national experiences and further strengthening intra-Caribbean and intra-SIDS

cooperation in the area of green economy.

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Key Issues/Theme

The following issues will be covered in the conference:

Impacts of policies and initiatives that Caribbean countries have taken for

achieving their development goals through green economy

o Macroeconomic and fiscal policy measures

o Sectoral policies and projects

o Business sector initiatives

o Public and private Investment

How to create enabling conditions for scaling up green economy measures

o Finance and investment

o Development, access and transfer of clean technology

o Tariffs and trade policy

o Taxation, incentives and fiscal reform

o Standards and regulations

o Governance and political commitment

Implementing SAMOA Pathway through Green Economy

o Capacity building for Green Economy

o Mobilizing investments and bilateral aid

o Developing enabling policies

o Demonstration projects

o Platform for SIDS-SIDS cooperation on Green Economy

Format

Deliberations will be carried out in the form of interactive discussions and will be

preceded by keynote speeches and presentations. The conference will be held in

English. Translation for statements/speeches/presentations made in French can be

offered on request.

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Agenda Overview

Monday 23. February

8:30-9:00 Registration

9:00-10:00 High Level Opening Session

10:00-10:30 Group Photo and Coffee Break 10:30-11:00 Session 1: Green Economy and SIDS

11:00-13:00 Session 2: Country Level Experiences with Green Economy

Parallel Sessions: 2A: Barbados, Jamaica, Grenada 2B: Guyana, Saint Lucia, Haiti

13:00-14:00 Lunch Break and Award Ceremony for GE Poster Competition 14:00-15:30 Session 3: Green Economy Country Studies

15:30-16:00 Coffee Break 16:00-18:00 Session 4: Successful Green Economy Initiatives in the Caribbean Region

and Lessons Learnt Parallel Sessions: 4A: Private Sector, Trade and Investment for Green Economy 4B: Regional and International Cooperation, Research and Initiatives for Green Economy Regroup in Plenary

Tuesday 24. February

8:30-9:00 Reflections on Day 1 and Morning Coffee

9:00-11:15

Session 5: Identification of Enabling Conditions for Green Economy Parallel sessions: 5A: Macroeconomic Policy Reforms, Development and Regional Cooperation for Green Economy 5B: Sectoral Policies, Innovative Initiatives and Technology for Green Economy 5C: Research and Role of Civil Society and Media for Green Economy

11:15-11:30 Coffee Break 11:30-13:00 Plenary Session

13:00-14:00 Lunch Break 14:00-15:30 Session 6: Key Priorities for Inclusive Green Economy Framework in the

Region

15:30-15:45 Coffee Break 15:45-16:30 Concluding Session

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Detailed Agenda

DAY 1: Monday February 23, 2015

The first day aims to present the best practices and lessons learnt from the initiatives that Caribbean countries have taken for achieving their development goals through an inclusive green economy. Several national and regional experiences, including Green Economy strategy development under the Caribbean Green Economy Initiative, will be presented and discussed with the aim to identify common success factors for a green economy transition.

Time Session

8:30 – 09:00 Registration

9:00 – 10:00 High Level Opening Session

Master of Ceremony: Lt. Col. Oral Khan, Government of Jamaica

Opening Remarks and Context of the Conference by Lt. Col. Oral Khan

Welcome Remarks by the Representative from UNEP

Remarks by the Representative from the University of West Indies (UWI), Wayne Hunte or Principal or Deputy Principal (tbc)

Remarks by Arun Kashyap, United Nations Resident Coordinator & Resident Representative, UNDP Jamaica

Keynote Speaker: Honourable Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Jamaica

10:00 – 10:30 Group Photo and Coffee Break

10:30 – 11:00

Session 1: Green Economy and SIDS

Conference Objectives, Outputs and Programme: Speaker - Asad Naqvi, Economics and Trade Branch, UNEP

Global Perspectives on Green Economy: Speakers - Ambassador Edwin Laurent and Asad Naqvi

- SIDS, SDGs, SAMOA Pathway, PAGE, UNEP’s support to SIDS

11:00 – 13:00

Session 2: Country Level Experiences with Green Economy

Objective To share country level experiences of macroeconomic and fiscal policy measures for identification of best practices, challenges and benefits to achieve sustainable development goals through Green Economy policies. This experience sharing session will establish the context for further discussions. Format Two parallel sessions will be held. Participants will regroup in the plenary to share the country experiences and lessons learnt.

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Parallel Session 2A: Barbados, Jamaica, Grenada Duration: 60 minutes (10 minutes for each presentation)

Parallel Session 2B: Guyana, Saint Lucia, Haiti

Duration: 60 minutes (10 minutes for each presentation)

Chair: Representative from the Government of Jamaica

Barbados: Fiscal Policy Measures, Green Tax, Tariff Reduction on Hybrid Cars/Transportation. Speaker - Travis Sinckler (Senior Environment Officer, Ministry of the Environment, Water Resources and Drainage, Barbados)

Jamaica: Vision 2030 and Green Economy. Speaker - Elizabeth Emanuel (Sustainable Development Specialist, Planning Institute of Jamaica)

Grenada: Green Economy in Grenada’s Development. Speaker - Spencer Thomas (Ambassador, Special Envoy for Multilateral Agreements, Government of Grenada)

Rapporteur: Maxine P. McDonough Expected Outcomes: Identification of best practices, challenges, and lessons learnt from the existing macroeconomic policy processes to inform key priorities for the green economy transition in the region. Session Manager: Adriana Zacarias Email: Adriana.Zacarias@unep.org

Chair: Representative from the Government of Guyana

Guyana: Green Economy in Guyana: A Community Perspective. Speaker – Paulette Bynoe (Director, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana)

Saint Lucia: Green Economy and National Social Protection Policy. Speaker - Tanzia Toussaint (Assistant Director, Social Transformation, Ministry of Social Transformation, Local Government and Community Empowerment, Saint Lucia)

Haiti: Study of Productive Chains for Mangoes, Cashews, Honey, Castor Oil and Cocoa. Speaker - Jean Chesnel Jean (tbc)

Rapporteur: (tbc) Expected Outcomes: Identification of best practices, challenges, and lessons learnt from the existing macroeconomic policy processes to inform key priorities for a green economy transition in the region. Session Manager: Matias Gallardo Email: matias.gallardo.affiliate@pnuma.org

Regroup in Plenary (Duration: 60 minutes) Chair: Honourable Minister Denis Lowe, Government of Barbados

Presentation by the Rapporteurs from each session (10 minutes each)

Discussion and Question and Answer Session (30 Minutes) Rapporteur: (GEPAG/UWI)

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch Break and Award Ceremony for Green Economy Poster Competition

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14:00 – 15:30

Session 3: Green Economy Country Studies

Chair: Honourable Minister Kenneth M. Darroux , Government of Dominica Objective Green Economy Scoping Studies from three countries will be presented to identify the opportunities in transition to green economy including, financial and sectoral policies as well as investment options that can contribute to economic growth, attracting investment, poverty reduction and ecosystems’ improvement offered by a green economic transformation. Format This session will be held in Plenary (10 minutes for each presentation)

Green Economy Assessment of Jamaica: Speakers - Michael Witter (UWI) and Lt. Col. Oral Khan (Ministry of Environment)

Green Economy Assessment of Saint Lucia: Speakers - Keron Niles (UWI Consulting Ltd.) and Sylvester Clauzel (Ministry of the Public Service, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology, Saint Lucia) (tbc)

Green Economy Sectoral Study for Haiti: Speaker - Jean Chesnel Jean (tbc)

Discussant: David Smith (Institute for Sustainable Development, UWI Mona) Rapporteur: Maxine P. McDonough Expected Outcomes

Identification for macroeconomic and sectoral policy reforms for transition-ning to green economy in the region with a view to attract green investment, increasing the role of the private sector, and capacity building needs.

Session Manager: David Smith Email: david.smith02@uwimona.edu.jm

15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break

16:00 – 18:00

Session 4: Successful Green Economy Initiatives in the Caribbean Region and Lessons Learnt

Objective A number of green economy initiatives are taking place in the Caribbean region with the potential for scaling up and replicability. The objective of this session is to bring together these diverse initiatives and experiences within the private and public sectors, explore investment and trade opportunities, existing regional and international cooperation and policy processes, and development assistance for advancing the agenda of green economy in the region. Format Two parallel sessions will be held and participants will re-group and present the summary of their respective sessions in the plenary.

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Parallel Session 4A: Private Sector, Trade and Investment for Green Economy Duration: 60 minutes (10 minutes for each presentation)

Parallel Session 4B: Regional and International Cooperation, Research and Initiatives for Green Economy Duration: 60 minutes (10 minutes for each presentation)

Chair: John Calixte, Government of Saint Lucia Investment, trade and the role of the private sector is central to advance the transition of SIDS to green economy. This session will focus on investment opportunities in green economic sectors, lessons learnt from existing initiatives, role of private sector, fiscal reforms, tariffs and trade policies. Panellists:

- Role of Private Sector in Green Economy: Speaker - Warren McDonald (President, Jamaica Chamber Of Commerce and Industry)

- Sustainable Business Practices for Green Economy: Speaker - Ariana Marshal (Green Business Barbados)

- European Investment Bank (EIB), Caribbean Investment Facility of EU – (tbc)

Rapporteur: (Name tbc) Expected Outcomes: - Opportunities for trade, investments in green

economic sectors and the role of the private sector identified.

- Potential initiatives are identified for replication and upscaling.

- Need for fiscal reforms, tariffs and trade, and policies for transition to a green economy are identified.

Session Manager: Keron Niles Email: keron.niles@googlemail.com

Chair: Representative from the Government of Belize This session will explore the role of existing regional and international cooperation, innovative green initiatives and research on issues of sustainable development, poverty alleviation and climate change in the Caribbean context. Panellists:

- Partnership for Acton on Green Economy: Speaker - Asad Naqvi (Economics and Trade Branch, UNEP)

- Role of Civil Society in Transition to a Green Economy: Speaker - Nicole Leotaud (Caribbean Natural Resources Institute)

- Regional Cooperation for Transition to a Green Economy: Speaker - Ms. Anya Thomas (CARICOM)

Rapporteur: Maxine P. McDonough Expected Outcomes: - Role of regional and international cooperation,

research and other initiatives in transition to green economy identified.

Session Manager: Michael Witter Email: mikeywitter@gmail.com

17:00 – 18:00

Regroup in Plenary (Duration: 60 minutes) Chair: Honourable Minister Claude Hogan, Government of Montserrat

Summary Presentation of the two Sessions by Rapporteurs (15 minutes each)

Question and Answer Session Rapporteur: GEPAG/UWI

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DAY 2: Tuesday 24 February 2015

Future Pathways

Based on discussions of Day 1, the objective of Day 2 is to identify key priorities for Green Economy for the Caribbean Region to implement the SAMOA Pathway, achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and what role regional and international organizations and initiatives such as UNEP and PAGE and other actors can play in the region for transition to green economy.

Time Session

08:30 – 09:00

Reflection on Day 1 and Morning Coffee by Maxine P. McDonough (Rapporteur)

09:00 – 11:15

Session 5: Identification of Enabling Conditions for Green Economy

Objective This session aims to identify enabling conditions required for scaling up the existing Green Economy initiatives at country and regional levels for the transition to green economies. This discussions will lead to identify the key elements of action plan for this transition. Format: Three parallel sessions will be held and participants will regroup in the plenary for a summary presentation by Rapporteurs

Parallel Session 5A: Macroeconomic Policy Reforms, Development and Regional Cooperation for Green Economy Duration: 90 minutes (15 minutes for each presentation)

Parallel Session 5B: Sectoral Policies, Innovative Initiatives and Technology for Green Economy Duration: 90 minutes (15 minutes for each presentation)

Parallel Session 5 C: Research and Role of Civil Society and Media for Green Economy Duration: 90 minutes (15 minutes for each presentation)

Chair: Astley Joseph, Government of Antigua and Barbuda The transition to an inclusive green economy requires enabling policy environment, and regional and international cooperation to sustain and stimulate ‘greening’ measures. Panellists:

- Macroeconomic Policy Framework and Sectoral Policies for Green Economy: Speaker – John Calixte (Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs, Planning and Social Security, Saint Lucia)

Chair: Representative from the Government of Barbados This session will focus on innovative initiatives and need for technology transfer for greening of key economic sectors. Successful experiences and ideas from the region will be shared and discussed by experts. Panellists: - The Role of Renewable Energy

in Greening Caribbean Economies: Speaker - Indra Haraksingh (Department of Physics, UWI St. Augustine (GEPAG)

Chair: Representative from the Government of Jamaica This session will address capacity building needs of key actors and institutions with a focus on identifying research areas for greening key sectors, bridging the research-policy gap, and the role of civil society in the region’s transition to a green economy. Panellists:

- Green Economy Course prepared by UWI: Speaker - Elizabeth Emanuel (Sustainable Development Specialist, Planning Institute of Jamaica)

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- Bilateral and Multilateral

Development Aid: Speaker – Ginelle Greene (Head of Private Sector Component, GIZ)

- Regional Cooperation for Green Economy: Speaker – June Masters (Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism)

- Green Economy as a New

Paradigm for Development in the Caribbean: Speaker - Justine A. Ram (Director, Economics Department Caribbean Development Bank)

Rapporteur: Maxine P. McDonough Expected Outcomes Identification of macroeconomic and sectoral policy reforms, need for green investments, role of private sector and regional and international cooperation. Session Manager: Sarah Leon Email: sarah.leon@govt.lc

- Diversifying Sustainable

Tourism: Speaker - Keron Niles (Research Consultant, UWI Consulting Ltd.)

- Construction Sector and Technology: Speaker – Brian Bernal (Architect/Director MODE Ltd., Kingston, Jamaica)

- New Models of Urban Development: Speaker – Anthony Clayton (Alcan Professor for Caribbean Sustainable Development, UWI, Mona Campus, Jamaica)

Rapporteur: Adrian Cashman (UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados) Expected Outcomes: Sectoral policy reforms, innovative initiatives and ideas, and need for technology transfer are identified for greening key economic sectors. Session Manager: Adrian Cashman Email: adrian.cashman@cavehill.uwi.edu

- Bridging the Research-Policy

Gap: Speaker - GEPAG (tbc)

- The Roles of Media and Public Outreach for Green Economy: Speaker - Dionne Jackson Miller (Head of Press Association, Jamaica)

Rapporteur: UWI/GEPAG Expected Outcomes: Identification of research areas and the roles of civil society and media for promoting green economy in the region.

Session Manager: Indra Haraksingh Email: indra.haraksingh@sta.uwi.edu

11:15-11:30 Coffee Break

11:30-13:00

Plenary Session

Presentations by the Rapporteurs in the Plenary (45 minutes)

Discussion and Question and Answer Session (45 minutes) Chair: Honourable Minister Clifton Clayton Fitzroy Burgin, Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Rapporteur: Ambassador Edwin Laurent Expected Outcomes: Key priorities for the green economy transition are identified, including required macroeconomic policy reforms, capacity building, technology transfer, and key sectors for the region.

13:00-1400 Lunch Break

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14:00 – 15:30

Session 6: Key Priorities for Inclusive Green Economy in the Region

Objectives To identify key priorities for the green economy transition in the Caribbean and the role of key actors including UNEP/PAGE. Format The Plenary Discussion will be based on the outcomes of the previous three sessions. Moderator: Cletus Springer (Organization of American States) Key Note Presentation: Ambassador Edwin Laurent Discussions will be focused on the following key areas:

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Policy Reforms, Tariffs and Trade Policies

Mobilising Investment, the Private Sector, Development and Regional Cooperation

Sectoral Policies, Innovative Initiatives and Technology Transfer

Capacity Building, Research, and Role of Civil Society and Media

Platform for SIDS-SIDS cooperation on Green Economy

Role of key actors including UNEP and PAGE Rapporteur: Maxine P. McDonough Expected Outcomes:

- Key priorities for green economy transition in the region and role of actors including UNEP and PAGE are identified.

- Potential funding and international and regional cooperation in trade, investment and capacity building are identified.

- Potential demonstration projects are identified.

15:30- 15:45 Coffee Break

15:45-16:30 Concluding Session

Reflections by Honourable Ministers and Vote of Thanks Speakers:

Representative from UNEP

Government of Jamaica Master of Ceremony: Lt. Col. Oral Khan, Government of Jamaica