Day 1: November 27

14.00 - 15.30 

This session provided the context for the conference as well as an overview of the green transition opportunities through keynote speeches by representatives from international organisations, local governments, the private sector and academia.

Day 1: November 27

16.00 - 17.30 

Many countries, regions and localities have experienced structural changes to their economies with significant employment and distributional impacts. Such transitions have often been part of the dynamic churn of the global economy. From the UK coal mine closures of the 1980s, the winding down of heavy industry sectors such as steel in the US and shipbuilding in Japan, to the digitalisation of today, structural changes with competitiveness and employment impacts have stirred concerns and resistance on the part of affected industries and workers. This session discussed lessons from past structural changes and considered if they are applicable to today’s green transition. It explored how worker reallocation, redeployment and re-skilling can be promoted, considering e.g. the specific challenges faced by regions whose economics are based on fossil-fuel extraction or carbon-intensive industries. The role of SMEs was considered, as well as the gender dimension in the low-carbon transition, e.g. for the predominately male work-force of extractive industries and other carbon-intensive sectors. What are the best approaches to help workers move from declining industries and regions to those with better growth prospects, with accompanying policies to help individuals upgrade their skills and assist lagging regions with catching up? What role for social safety nets and social dialogue to manage the transition and prepare for the future? 

Day 2: November 28

09.30 - 11.00 

Less stringent or less strictly enforced environmental policies in other jurisdictions, and concerns about the resulting negative competitiveness impacts for domestic firms, are often used by politicians as justification for not introducing more ambitious environmental policies. However, OECD analysis shows that more stringent environmental policies can lead to enhanced productivity gains for more technologically-advanced firms. Moreover, efficient policy design can be a more important determinant of competitiveness impacts than stringency per se.  Similarly, while recent work shows that an increase in relative energy prices has a negative effect on trade flows and foreign direct investment, the scale of these impacts is very small compared with other determinants of trade and investment location choices such as transport costs, proximity to demand or the skill sets of local workers.

Day 2: November 28, 2018

13:00 - 14:30  Side Event 1  (Room CC18)

Day 2: November 28

14.30-16.00  

Social and political support for the transition towards a green and low-carbon future depends on whether its costs and benefits are distributed across society in a fair and transparent manner.  There is increasing evidence that poorer neighbourhoods face greater exposure to air pollution and other environmental risks. At the same time, low-income households may be more vulnerable to higher energy or water prices. This session discussed recent evidence on how the consequences of both environmental policies and exposure to pollution vary with household income and with other socio-demographic characteristics. The discussion built on insights, e.g. from energy pricing or subsidy reforms, resource and water pricing and other policies to preserve biodiversity and other natural capital, energy efficiency programs, which may have negative impacts on household budgets or livelihood of communities. The session also examined how green growth policies could also address poverty reduction. How can cities or local authorities promote a more social inclusion and environmental improvements via, for instance, housing or transport policies? Can they help to meet both inclusive and green objectives?

The Founding Partners of the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (OECD, World Bank, UN Environment and the Global Green Growth Institute) announced the Call for Papers for the Sixth GGKP Annual Conference. The conference sessions will be developed around competitiveness, employment and distributional impacts of green policies. The role of SMEs in this context will also be explored. The papers submitted covered the following themes:

1. A. Competitiveness impacts of environmental policies
2. B. Distributional consequences of environmental policies
3. C. Green industrial policy
4. D. Employment implications including development of green skills
5. E. Sectoral/structural transition management (including labour re-allocation, re-skilling/vocational training)
6. F. Impacts of the transition to a circular economy
7. G. First-mover advantage from green policies
8. H. Behavioural insights in relation to environmental and structural adjustment policies
9. I. Role of SMEs in the green and “inclusive” transition

The Parallel Sessions discussing the selected papers took place from November 28 and 29

Day 3: November 29

11.15 - 12.30 

The final Plenary considered why there may be gaps between public perceptions and empirical evidence showing that impacts of environmental policies on firm or sectoral competitiveness are rather limited, as suggested by several studies. Furthermore, the discussion addressed how countries can advance on the green transition in the “post-truth” era. How can governments do their job of evidence-based policy making to address environmental challenges when citizens doubt the scientific evidence or dismiss expert advice? Understanding the actual preferences of citizens and consumers and therefore their consequent behaviour and choices is critical, and there could be behaviour-informed methods or tools that de-bias existing mechanisms to understand or get closer to “the truth”.

Day 3: November 29

12.30 -13.00 

This final session provided the opportunity to review policy implications and possible future work for the OECD.

Closing remarks: 

• Masamichi Kono, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD

The future collaboration with GGKP will involve 5 partners as a foresight on their renewed collaboration and strengthening of the Green Growth Knowledge Platform. The GGKP partners signed a new memorandum of understanding to ensure the continuation of collaboration for the next 5 years, and welcome UNIDO as a new partner organisation.

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Day 3: November 29, 2018

13:15 - 14:15  Side Event 3  (Room CC16)