Greening Growth Through HRD Interventions

Transcription

1 Greening Growth Through HRD Interventions Sub-Theme: Strategic Human Resource Development in an Era of "Green Growth ROLANDO L. METIN Career Executive Service Board, Philippines

2 Green Growth as National Strategy Reconciling environmental protection and conservation with social and economic activities Adopting good environmental governance for local and national productivity, to stimulate livelihood activities, alleviate poverty and even address serious developments like climate change and its impacts.

3 Green Growth as National Strategy Adopting green growth policies and strategies is urgent in the Philippines where huge economic losses arise from environment degradation. World Bank estimates (2003) - P17 Billion Pesos (US$340 M) annually in fishery sector. Foregone tourism revenue - at US1 Billion while health costs that could have been avoided amount to US$60 M annually All because of water pollution.

4 Green Growth as National Strategy Other environmental and pollution problems such as in the air sector entailing s huge health costs and decrease in individual and national productivity Rapid loss of forests results in massive soil erosion and sedimentation of the water ways and coastal areas Country being archipelagic faces constant threats from the effects of climate change.

5 Green Growth as National Strategy Other forms and sources of pollution such as air lead to higher health costs and lower productivity. Controlling pollution to mitigate climate change and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Country being archipelagic and located in typhoon belt highly vulnerable to effects of climate change.

6 Greening Growth Thru HRD Interventions Greening growth and reversing unsustainable use of resources can be facilitated by HRD interventions. Five cases of HR inventions in selected Philippine government agencies present approaches to green growth Take off for developing a national program for greening HR and implementing green HR programs

7 of Five Philippine Government Agencies Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on coastal resource management -on training local government units and coastal communities Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) on pollution control among industries thru collaboration with non-government organizations Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) on environmental compliance thru the establishment of Compliance Assistance Centers, using the industry associations of two highly pollutive industry sectors

8 of Five Philippine Government Agencies Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) on improving environmental performance of ecozones and locator enterprises thru periodic ecological forum and recognition of best environmental performance Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) on training industry sectors develop environmental management plans as vehicle for waste reduction and achieving operational efficiency.

9 - DENR DENR - principal government department charged with the sustainable management, conservation, protection and development of the country s environment and natural resources. Forests, environment (air, water, land) biodiversity, protected areas, mapping, land management, mining and geological sciences, and ecosystems research. Also tasked to manage and protect the coastal zone where more than 60% of the Filipinos live.

10 - DENR Limited livelihood options have driven many coastal residents to destructive means of fishing and clearing of coastal vegetation for the construction of fish ponds and for fuel. All this, for short term gains, which has progressively rendered the fishermen with less catch per unit of effort and dip further in poverty. Coastal communities extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the Philippines being archipelagic. Strong waves, which are constant threat to the coastal villages, are not uncommon in many islands and shorelines.

11 DENR Coastal Resource Management DENR in Region VIII (Eastern Central Philippines) developed and implemented training modules for coastal communities in Northern Samar particularly on planting of mangroves and sea grasses, establishment and management of marine protected areas and fish sanctuaries, on economic losses from short term and destructive livelihood practices, and how proper coastal management can mitigate the impacts of climate change. Easy-to-understand written materials on the various aspects and elements of coastal resource management

12 DENR Coastal Resource Management Municipal officials, barangay leaders, coastal communities and their local organizations are main targets of HR interventions. DENR training team - composed of three to five technical staff from the regional, provincial and district offices. Their work is largely on coastal resource management research and extension.

13 Environmental Management Bureau Two major mechanisms and activities of the EMB may be considered HRD interventions for green growth: - The EMB website as information and training platform, and - working with non government environmental management organizations such as the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PCAPI) as venue for promoting green growth among industries.

14 Environmental Management Bureau PCAPI is a private organization of pollution control officers in industry (and in some cases, in government offices). Among its objectives are to promote cleaner production, waste minimization and pollution prevention among top managers, decision and policy makers and workers of industry and the general public, and serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and formulation of strategies to address pollution and environmental issues.

15 Environmental Management Bureau In majority of the regions, the EMB works in tandem with the PCAPI in disseminating environmental laws, regulations and best practices, and best available technologies to industries and other establishments. Training new PCO s is a regular activity of PCAPI. EMB provides resource persons in this training and other PCAPI discussions.

16 Environmental Management Bureau The EMB Website ( provides the PCAPI and its members a wealth of information on environmental laws and regulations, including downloadable training materials. The Website itself is a HRD resource, containing such topics like Health and Economic Impacts of Air Pollution; The Earth is a Greenhouse; What can we do about Climate Change? Alternative Fuels: A Key to Reducing Air Pollution; What is Environmental Management System (EMS)? Environmental Education: Maintaining the Quality of Life and Sustaining Development; Clean Development Mechanism; and Industrial EcoWatch.

17 Environmental Management Bureau The collaborative work between the EMB and PCAPI (and other environmental organizations) have resulted in progressively increasing compliance with environmental regulations, which has the effect of incorporating green considerations in company operations.

18 Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) PEZA supervises the operation of economic zones in the Philippines. While PEZA s principal mandate is investment promotion, it has taken environmental protection within the economic zones. One major activity conduct of Ecological Forum (Eco- Forum) with operators, locators and managers of economic zones as venue for discussion of environmental and other economic and related social issues, environmental laws and regulations and implementation procedures for improved compliance.

19 Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) More than just a forum - aim is to promote growth and contribute to local and national productivity while incorporating environmental considerations in the operations of the various locator firms. To sustain acceptable and beyond-compliance environmental performance of ecozone operators and locators, PEZA has been giving an Annual Environmental Performance Award.

20 Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) To qualify for the PEP Awards - Implemented and adopted ISO based Environmental Management Systems (EMS) or other systems employing the Plan-Do-Check-Act framework; - Documented sustained compliance with environmental regulations appropriately, - Continuous improvement in waste management, energy, materials or water use, air pollution prevention, preservation/restoration, water discharges, accidental releases, etc.; and - executed environmental projects or outreach programs.

21 Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) LLDA - specialized government agency tasked with sustainable management of the 90,000 hectare Laguna de Bay Lake and its watersheds, including a big part of Metro Manila involving about 50 local government units. Some 20 million people live around the lake and in its watershed, in addition to the thousands of industries and commercial establishments. Highly industrialized. Huge volumes of untreated wastes drain to the lake which impacts on the ecological integrity and productivity of the lake.

22 LLDA Major HR intervention is the establishment of Compliance Assistance Centers (CAC) for two industry sectors: hog raising and slaughterhouse operations on the need to control pollution and to help their member farms and outfits comply with environmental regulations and standards.

23 LLDA Compliance assistance also includes training the CAC on beyond-compliance assistance, e.g., adoption of clean technologies, good housekeeping, ecosystems relationships, environmental management systems, etc., which the CAC also uses in training its target/ member establishments.

24 Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Highlighting this initiative is training the industry associations themselves to serve as the CAC for their sector. LLDA embarked on capacity development of the associations of hog raisers and slaughterhouse operators on environmental laws and standards, best available technologies and compliance procedures.

25 LLDA The CAC may be considered a form of training the trainor approach. As a result of the capacity building and learnings that the CAC has received, the hog raisers association, for instance, has been meeting with individual members to evaluate their own operations and plan for improvements and to meet environmental standards. An increased understanding of environmental laws and standards among the hog raisers and slaughterhouse operators have resulted in specific plans and actions towards compliance.

26 LLDA Most significant element of the CAC as HR intervention is the realization by the two sectors that actions and investments for improved environmental performance need not be a big dent on their profitability. The CAC approach can be replicated almost anywhere in the country and for almost all industry sectors.

27 Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) The DBP is a government-owned universal development bank. In 1986, tasked to participate actively in implementing the country s industrial restructuring program to introduce increased efficiency and productivity within the industry sectors. Complementing the program was addressing the environmental aspects of various industrial operations. DBP embarked on working with and training several industry sectors, through their associations in formulating and implementing environmental management plans or EMP.

28 Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Among the sectors trained on EMP: cement, pulp and paper, furniture, electronic, ship repair, vegetable and fruit canning, and cocoa which were traditionally identified as highly pollutive industries. DBP developed training modules on pollution identification, waste reduction strategies and addressing pollution problems through the preparation and implementation of Environmental Management Plans that were appropriate to the industry sectors.

29 Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) DBP also produced several manuals on waste and pollution reduction for specific sectors. Many members of the industry associations assisted and through the EMP embarked on ISO certification which indicated their willingness and ability to manage their emissions and effect continual environmental improvements. Such impact may also be considered change in corporate behaviour.

30 Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Side by side with providing assistance to industries on environment, the DBP also embarked on training its own staff on the basics of environmental management. Analysis of how a prospective project for funding would potentially affect the water, land, air and environment and the community has become a regular process in evaluating applications for loans.

31 Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) DBP s own experiences on extending training assistance to industries have resulted in its own internal changes: - adoption of ISO based Environmental Management System, and being certified as such, - adopting efficient lighting initiatives - coming out with annual Corporate Environment Report, - giving preferential treatment to renewable energy projects, and - policy that loan projects must satisfy environmental tests such as being able to control or abate pollution that may arise from the project s operations.

32 Summary of HR Interventions of Five Selected Government Agencies Imparting knowledge and skills is done using nontraditional approaches, i.e., less of the classroom/ workshop type but more on practical exercises. Use of stakeholders themselves as the HR providers as demonstrated in the EMB-PCAPI, the LLDA CAC and the DBP-Industry Associations for industries, and the LGU and Local Leaders, in the case of the DENR coastal resource management interventions.

33 Summary of HR Interventions of Five Selected Government Agencies All emphasize environmental protection and conservation but within a context that sustained growth can be achieved. The HR intervenors are not the professional HR staff. They are technical persons who understand their expertise stuff but also have the motivation of teaching others on how operations can be undertaken more efficiently.

34 Summary of HR Interventions of Five Selected Government Agencies All are government agencies and while three of them (DENR, EMB and LLDA) are mandated to undertake environmental management work, the two others pursued environmental protection interventions outside of their mandates as deliberate actions towards green growth. All agencies could have stuck to their principal mandates avoid the task of teaching their regulated stakeholders on improving environmental performance.

35 Taking Off From the HR Lessons from the Five Selected Government Agencies The remaining part of the paper proposes in broad strokes, taking off from the lessons and approaches from the 5 cases: - the development and implementation of Greening HR Programs within the bureaucracy, targeting initially and largely the local government units. - identification of green growth HRD modules and how training materials would be developed - institutional structures and arrangements for Green HR Programs - implementation strategies.

36 Taking Off From the HR Lessons from the Five Selected Government Agencies An initial 5-year greening the HRD program is proposed. The first two years will be devoted to developing curricula and modules, organizing and training teams and identifying HRD targets. Training contents will focus on waste reduction and minimization in all sectors, in households, industries, offices and all economic and social activities; on adaptation and mitigation vis-à-vis climate change, and on conservation of natural resources, particularly water.

37 Taking Off From the HR Lessons from the Five Selected Government Agencies Other focus on the training programs will be on emergency preparedness for natural disasters like typhoons, sea surge, flooding and landslides as adaptation measures for the impacts of climate change. Local government officials, including members of the local legislative councils, will be main target of Green HR interventions.

38 Taking Off From the HR Lessons from the Five Selected Government Agencies The Philippine bureaucracy, consisting of the agencies at the Central and those at sub-national level, including local government units, remains as potent vehicle for promoting and implementing Green Growth HR interventions. Investing in Green HR or Greening the HRD Programs is expected to yield highly significant economic and environmental benefits for the general and continuing welfare of the citizenry.

39 Greening Growth Through HRD Interventions THANK YOU MARAMING SALAMAT DR. ROLANDO L. METIN, DPA Career Executive Service Board, Philippines