2019 PAGE Ministerial Conferen

THE CHALLENGE

How can we create 600+ million jobs, reduce inequalities, protect the environment and grow the economy?

We have a plan for propelling the world towards a future where human and environmental health are protected, where poverty and hunger are alleviated, where peace and prosperity can flourish. It has been three years since countries adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and it is time now to take these global goals and turn them into real changes in the lives of people and nations.  It’s time for action.

HOW WE CAN DO IT

We can restructure our economic and financial systems to transform them into drivers of sustainability and social inclusion; the two prerequisites for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
We can shape the future of work. We already see trends of advancing technology and automation and how they are accelerating across societies and countries. We have an unprecedented opportunity to harness their potential for better, higher-skilled, and fairer jobs – but only if our institutions are robust and innovate at the speed of change.
We can radically rethink the ways we consume and produce. Taking a full-life, design approach to the things we make and use on a day-to-day basis can revitalize economies and take pressure off our natural resources. The private sector, and in particular micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises are already leading a new wave of entrepreneurship and innovation driving the new circular economy.
RALLYING THE LEADERS

To turn these plans into a reality, and to accelerate the change, we need to get the smartest people in the same room and learn from their experiences. So, the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is gathering around 500 innovators and leaders from governments, civil society, private sector, development organizations, media and the general public. We will showcase the experiences and creativity of first-movers, widen partnerships and engage in an open debate about what it is going to take to for us to have a “just transition” to economies and societies that are more inclusive, stable and sustainable.

Hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa, the third PAGE Ministerial Conference will highlight and celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusivity as drivers of green industries, and as the bedrock for a better and more sustainable future for all.

WHO

South Africa has been at the forefront of championing green economy and the third PAGE Ministerial Conference will provide an opportunity for South Africa along with other PAGE member states to reinforce the commitment to transition to a green and sustainable economy.

Since 2013, The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) has grown into an increasingly prominent alliance of UN Agencies, international partner organizations and governments. The partnership is recognized as an innovative and efficient model of excellence for delivering on the 2030 Agenda. Drawing on the expertise of five UN Agencies – UN Environment, the International Labour Organization, the UN Development Programme, the UN Industrial Development Organization, and the UN Institute for Training and Research – PAGE challenges business-as-usual growth and business models, and places sustainability at the heart of economic systems. At the global level, we partner with the donor community, the wider UN system, governments, civil society and the private sector to amplify and accelerate transitions to greener, more inclusive development.