Green Entrepreneurship. Catalysing the transition to Mediterranean Green Economies Francesca Culcasi, CP/RAC s Project Manager

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1 Green Entrepreneurship Catalysing the transition to Mediterranean Green Economies Francesca Culcasi, CP/RAC s Project Manager

2 INDEX Presentations - UNEP - MAP - CP/RAC Definitions - Green Economy - Green Entrepreneurs Cp/RAC Action Plan - 3 Phases - Case Studies - Findings Conclusions

3 United Nation Environmental Programme , United Nations Conference on the Human and the Environment (Stockholm Ministerial Conference) Mission... "Provide leadership and encourage partnership able to protect the environment inspiring, informing and empowering Nations and peoples to improve the quality of their lives, without compromising that of future generations..." Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) , 16 Mediterranean countries and the European Community adopted the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP). The MAP was the first-ever plan adopted as a Regional Seas Programme under UNEP's umbrella , Contracting Parties signed la Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution (Barcelona Convention) Fare Impresa Verde, Workshop Siracusa September 2011

4 Mission... Initial focus of the MAP was on marine pollution control... Shifts to include integrated coastal zone planning and management as the key tool through which solutions are being sought... Today... MAP involves 21 Mediterranean Countries + European Community Meet the challenges of environmental degradation in the sea, coastal areas and inland Link sustainable resource management with development, in order to protect the Mediterranean region and contribute to an improved Mediterranean quality of life. Spain France Monaco Slovenia Croatia Bosnia & Herzegovina Montenegro Italy Albania Greece Turkey Algeria Tunisia Malta Cyprus Lebanon Syria Morocco Israel Libya Egypt Fare Impresa Verde, Workshop Siracusa September 2011

5 Regional Activities Centre for Cleaner Production The Centre of Regional Activity for Cleaner Production (CP/RAC) belongs to the Plan of Action for the Mediterranean (PAM) of the United Nations Program for the Environment (PNUMA). It was established in 1996 by the decision of all the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Agreement for the protection of the Mediterranean from pollution It is a centre of international cooperation along the Mediterranean countries whose main objective is to protect the environment through the promotion and dissemination of activities/actions that prevent and reduce pollution produced by the industrial, agricultural and tourism sectors Acts with the aim of integrating a more sustainable models of consumption, production, innovation and development to/and in collaboration with public, private sectors and civil society Fare Impresa Verde, Workshop Siracusa September 2011

6 Κρίσις (Κrisis) Etymology: Name which comes from the old greek verb Kpivεiv (Krinein), which means to separate, to decide, to judge, etc... Crisis can reffers to a sharp transition to recession, an unstable situation, a forced pause which needs to be analysed to understand its real origin, to find out innovative solutions to solve it out A Turning Point Source:

7 Green Economy Beyond UNEP, the Green Economy Initiative is one of the nine UNwide Joint Crisis Initiatives (JCI) launched by the UN System's Chief Executives Board in early * Definitions... That which results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities... (UNEP) We see the Green Economy as an opportunity to respond to the notion that there is a trade-off to be made between faster economic growth and sustainable development, and the preservation of our environment. (President Jacob Zuma, at the South African Green Economy Summit, May 2010 ) *

8 What s Green Economy Than? A business model based on sustainable production, consumption and saving practices, is a response of different challenges that have emerged in the past decades...(unep) Triple Bottom Line (Source)

9 ENTREPRENEURS driving forces in the economies Entrepreneurs: key drivers of economic progress, contributors to technological innovation and new job growth World Economic Forum Entrepreneurs: individuals identify opportunities, allocate resources, and create value. This creation of value is often through the identification of unmet needs or through the identification of opportunities for change... Source: Global Entrepreneurship and the Successful Growth Strategies of Early-Stage Companies

10 What is a GREEN ENTREPRENEUR? Integrates environmental, economic & social axis in core business Provides innovative solutions to the way goods and services are produced & consumed Proposes a business model whose scaling-up contributes to the greening of the economy... A CHANGEMAKER

11 CP/RAC s Action Plan on GREEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP CP/RAC s activity in compliance with the tasks of the RAC s and MAP to support the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (COP 2008, Almeria): Generates and manages relevant knowledge to inform and substantiate policy dialogues, decisions and action ( ) 3 Phases to follow State of the Art on Green Entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean Countries 2. Awareness Raising on governments, businesses and financial institutions 3. Moving to action: technical assistance and support to green entrepreneurs

12 Phase 1: State of the art on Green Entrepreneurship in Mediterranean countries Reports on the state of the art in Med Arab countries and Turkey Collection of 25 best case studies (pre-selection of 50) Views from Green Entrepreneurs on the challenges & opportunities in the Mediterranean region Pending reports on the state of the art and successful case studies of Italy, Tunisia, Spain Technical support of: CEDARE, Turkish Technology Development Foundation, Barcelonya, The HUB Siracusa, SDI Group, Emprendae

13 key criteria in selecting the cases 1. Solutions oriented tackling an environmental and a social challenge transforming our world for the better 2. Stimulating sustainable lifestyles developing products or services that enable individuals to make more sustainable every day choices 3. Innovation promoting systemic change, disrupting the status quo e.g. moving from providing products to services (dematerializing the economy) 4. Economic feasibility of the business

14 Green Entrepreneurs in the MCs Concepto Verding Textile Compostadores Compost units Green Chip Electronics Recycling Terre de Liens Ethical investment Cop (M)adam Recycled products Steppen Eco-design Gaea Food production Bugday Farmers markets & agrotourism Ezgi Gida Food production Karagönler Biofuel from waste VIP dry car cleaning Eco-design Tanaïl Ecolodge Ecotourism Souk el Tayeb Farmers markets ASSID Natural medicine Milles Collines Textile ADAPT Egypt Housing Sakrah Women s Cooperative Agriculture & crafts SEKEM Organic Production Taziry Ecolodge Ecotourism Ecobike Israel Cycling tourism JES Recycling

15 SEKEM (EGYPT) GREEN FOOD, TEXTILE AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS Consortium of companies producing and distributing organic and biodynamic food, textile and pharmaceutical products in Egypt and abroad. Economic 2,000 jobs, annual turnover 23m Environmental Social Chemical pesticides-free production, Closed nutrient cycles tackle climate change, resource depletion and desertification. Education & health programmes through SEKEM development foundation

16 GREEN CHIP (MOROCCO) RECYCLING Company that collects dismantles and sorts electronic waste, recovering precious and non ferrous metals and selling other dismantled products. Economic Environmental Social 24 full time jobs, 150 par-time, annual turnover US$ 2m Reduction in contamination of soil & groundwater from e-waste, tonnes of e-waste to be recycled per year 65 young unemployed trained each year in computer maintenance & recycled computers donated to schools

17 TAZIRY ECOLODGE (EGYPT) GREEN TOURISM Tourism facility integrating traditional construction, renewable energy, organic farming and cultural heritage. Economic Environmental Social 29 full time jobs & 80 part time sustainable construction workers Use of locally sourced renewable construction materials, reduced pesticide, fertiliers & fossil fuel use Preservation & celebration of Siwa culture (caligraphy, arquitecture, poetry)

18 GAEA PRODUCTS (GREECE) GREEN FOOD PRODUCTION AND EXPORTATION Production and distribution of authentic Greek food products with an organic range of olive products and innovations in water and carbon foot-printing. Economic Social Environmental 50 full time jobs, annual turnover 11m, 20% annual growth Long term relationships with suppliers, work with local farmers cooperatives, Ethical workplace standard SMETA Chemical free production, reduced water consumption

19 SAKRAH WOMEN S COOPERATIVE (JORDAN) GREEN FOOD PRODUCTION AND EXPORTATION Profit-sharing cooperative in Jordan whose members cultivate, manufacture, package and market cereals, dairy, textile and crafts. Economic Environmental Social 32 full time jobs, 800 women with micro-credits Sustainable production with minimal use of pesticides, fertilizers and maximum use of renewable materials. Childcare, education, training & female farmers network

20 CONCEPTO VERDING (SPAIN and GREECE) GREEN TEXTILE PRODUCTS Organic cotton Chemical-free production Organic clothing produced in Greece sold through shops in Spain and on line to Northern European countries. Economic Environmental Social 3 full time jobs, 9 part-time Recycled material for packaging, certified organic cotton from Greece, chemical free production in Spain Fair trade certification, long term suppliers contracts, partnership for a Mediterranean-labelled product

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22 Common assets Vision & values Relationships & networks Leadership & focus Targeted innovation Problem analysis Reflections Shared challenges Limited access to investment Absence of public support for entrepreneurs Weak environmental legislation Lack of market incentives Lack of entrepreneurship culture Low interest from consumers Bureaucracy Green Entrepreneurs still unknown concept in the region More active role needed from government & investors Women s empowerment key for employment Governance structure influences the scale of employment Green Entrepreneurs need access to capital, training & key stakeholders Exchange of GE across borders is limited Different stages of entrepreneurship have different needs

23 Phase 2: Awareness Raising to businesses, universities and financial institutions 1. Workshop on Green Entrepreneurship in the Social and Innovation week of Sicily of September 2011, Ortigia (SR) Organized by CP/RAC within the Social and Innovation Week of The HUB Siracusa Participants from universities, companies, financial institutions, public institutions Empowerment of start-up and running entrepreneurs on the art of green entrepreneurship through a variety of tools and applied technical methodologies from the Green Economy initiatives and programm, Eco-design and Ethical Financial Institutions Successful business case studies of existing green entrepreneurs in the Mediterranean region.

24 2. EGYPT GREEN DAYS : Empowering Changemakers November 2011, Cairo, Egypt 1,5 Workshop on Green Entrepreneurship & Eco-Design 1 day of activities in Cairo University about POPs Awareness Raising 1 Meeting/workshop on Sustainable Events. 3. V ECOMEDA GREEN FORUM November 2011, Barcelona Organized by CP/RAC, ASCAME and UpM, within the Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders Participants from companies, financial institutions Dissemination of succesful cases of green entrepreneurship, knowledge exchange, networking 4. Regional Workshop on Green Entrepreneurship and Green Jobs, SMART START-UP TRAINING January 2012 Interactive 5 days training package about SCP concepts Participants from Universities

25 Phase 3: moving from awareness raising to technical support to Green Mediterranean Entrepreneurs Proposals for action 1. Mechanisms for up and running green entrepreneurs to develop and expand initiatives through the exchange of information and experiences 2. Advice and support to start up green entrepreneurs through the connection with existing entrepreneurs and other experts 3. Motivation for potential green entrepreneurs to develop green enterprises in collaboration with business schools and universities 4. Facilitation of local multistakeholder dialogue to design business solutions for local environmental problems

26 Conclusions The Mediterranean region has the right conditions for green entrepreneurs, social innovators and grass root initiatives to provide innovative solutions needed to catalyze and sustain MCs transition to a Green Economy "We can't solve problems by usig the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Albert Einstein We need to increase and promote those right conditions to create local networks, to empower the impact that current and future green and social entrepreneurs will generate throughout sustainable models which will be economically viable, environmentally ecofriendly and socially responsible.

27 Thank You! Regional Activity Center for Cleaner Production