| Overview : In 2016, Barbados became a partner country in the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a joint initiative of five UN Agencies: UN Environment, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). PAGE responds to paragraph 66 of the Rio+20 outcome document "The Future We Want", which calls upon the UN system to support countries interested in pursuing green economy policies. The partnership supports nations and regions in reframing economic policies and practices around sustainability to advance the 2030 Agenda to foster economic growth, create income and jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, and strengthen the ecological foundations of their economies. Additionally, PAGE offers a comprehensive and coordinated package of technical assistance and capacity building services. With a diversified, serviced-based economy buttressed by the tourism and international business sectors, Barbados has successfully employed a blend of good governance, social and economic policies to the betterment of its citizens. However, the negative effects of recent global financial and economic crises, together with a dependency on imported fossil fuels, have placed pressure on the country's economy, society and environment. Limited access to natural resources, coupled with its high vulnerability to climate change as a small island developing state (SIDS), underlines the importance of building a resilient economy and achieving an integrated ecological, economic and social well being.[1] Against this background, the Government of Barbados has committed to pursuing a green economic future in the context of sustainable development. That commit is embedded in range of policy instruments including: - The National Sustainable Development Policy,
- The National Strategic Plan (2006-2025)(NSP), and
- The 2007 Green Economy Policy.
Building on that policy foundation, Barbados also undertook a Green Economy Scoping Study (GESS) with the assistance of the United Nations Environment Programme. The GESS specifically examined green economic opportunities in key sectors with emphases on issues of energy, water, land and waste. Following on the GESS, Barbados requested the UN system to further its green economic transition in 2016 via the Partnership for Green Economy (PAGE).PAGE provides integrated and holistic support to countries on eradicating poverty, increasing jobs and social equity, strengthening livelihoods and environmental stewardship and sustaining growth. The programme is adaptive and aligns with national priorities to offer tailored and effective support to transform economies to advance the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement on Climate Change. A joint collaboration between five United Nations agencies —the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) —PAGE seeks to work collaboratively, employing shared knowledge between UN agencies and country offices, funding partners and partner countries, to leverage collective strength, avoid duplication, and accelerate progress towards widespread inclusive, green and sustainable development. (UN PAGE –Accelerating and Fair and Green Economic Transformation –2021) Barbados is one of 20 PAGE countries globally, however it should be noted that Barbados has, for nearly two decades, engaged in a number of sustainable development and green economic policy interventions and assessments, which support the basis for establishing the enabling conditions for Green Economy, across sectors, nationally. The PAGE programme in Barbados is now proceeding with a focus on thematic areas such as green and blue jobs, youth engagement, green industry, and strengthening individual and institutional capacity for IGE. A special programme supporting Barbados’ Post-COVID recovery efforts is also being executed within the context of umbrella PAGE Barbados framework. UNDP, one of the PAGE partner agencies, is focusing specifically on green technology development in Barbados, piloting an annual green innovation competition, the “BARBADOS GREEN TECH CHALLENGE”. |
