Participants of the Technical Workshop on Tools and Measures to Inform Inclusive Green Economy Policies in Nariobi, Kenya.

UNDP, DESA, and UNEP organized a “Technical Workshop on Tools and Measures to Inform Inclusive Green Economy Policies” in Nairobi, Kenya from 2-4 July. The Workshop provided a forum for over 100 officials and experts from 25 countries with a majority from Africa representing ministries of finance, planning, and environment, and civil society, as well as UN agencies and multi- and bilateral development partners, including the World Bank, AfDB, GIZ, DANIDA, the Green Growth Best Practices Initiative and Green Economy Coalition.

Participants shared experiences on implementing inclusive, green economy approaches as a means for reducing poverty and ensuring more equitable sustainable development. With sound planning and policies, inclusive green economies can be created in ways that limit potential harm for groups or sectors while boosting growth, reducing inequalities and promoting social well-being.

Participants assessed the strengths and weaknesses of different integrated assessment and modeling tools (e.g. Strategic Environmental Assessment, Poverty Social Impact Analysis, Computable General Equilibrium models, Systems Dynamic modeling, Cost Benefit Analysis). Various measurement frameworks were discussed - System of Environmental and Economic Accounting, Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES),  and Multi-dimensional Poverty Index. The workshop also helped identify how the UN system and partners can better respond to country demand to implement inclusive green economy approaches.

John Matuszak, Adviser, World Bank presented on the WAVES approach. "WAVES work can complement the work done by Green Economy Advisory Services. The collaboration would be beneficial in terms of reviewing policy priorities, issues, and data availability with the idea of building up on each other’s work. These complimentary approaches can reinforce each other and contribute to the long-term sustainable development," said Matuszak.

This technical workshop is one of a series of regional and global events co-organised through the UNDP-DESA-UNEP Green Economy Joint Programme with the support of the Netherlands and EC. Workshop activities were informed by and feed into the Green Growth Knowledge Platform as well as the work of the UNDP-UNEP Poverty Environment Initiative.

(Read technical papers and presentations here)