WHILE sustainable development may seem elusive to some, a new initiative wants to pave a path for nations working towards a greener future.
Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030, or P4G, is a new partnership initiative that aims to boost countries’ efforts in achieving the globally-adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By creating and accelerating public-private partnerships, P4G could provide market-driven solutions to real-life challenges in developing nations.
Global Green Growth Institute’s assistant director-general and Investment and Policy Solutions Division Mahua Acharya head said: “There is an increasing conviction and need that to solve some of the more challenging problems, people are wanting an inter-disciplinary forum where they can talk to financiers, companies, banks. They want a forum like that and they want a forum to be quick, practical, and action-oriented.
“P4G is really one of those coalitions that is responding to needs — where you can bring private companies, governments, and others together and try to get around a problem.”
Established by the Danish government, the initiative will bring together leaders in government, civil society, and business to work together in five sectors in sustainable development: food, water, energy, healthy cities, and circular economy.
But, why these sectors?
“Because they present the biggest climate change challenges,” Acharya said.
The world’s cities emit up to 70 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide, and the figure is likely to be even higher when consumption emissions are included, one of P4G’s organisational partners C40 Cities said.
As city populations are predicted to double by 2050, the amount of carbon emissions is only expected to increase. In response, cities such as New York have begun to step up and lead the way against climate change.
Despite the United States’ announced withdrawal from the landmark Paris climate accord, New York aims to cut its carbon emissions from buildings by 30 per cent by 2025 and 80 per cent by 2050.
Buildings account for almost three quarters of New York’s contribution to climate change.
Like what P4G represents, New York’s government has partnered with leaders in the private and non-profit sectors to achieve its ambitious goal.
With assistance from the mayor’s office, some partners from universities, hospitals, and commercial offices have met their 30 per cent goal.
Acharya mentioned the role that innovative partnerships have played in food waste.
Around the world, entrepre-neurs have launched apps to help reduce food waste in households, restaurants and supermarkets.
In the United Kingdom, FoodCloud allows supermarkets and farms to work with charities to donate surplus food, while YourLocal in Denmark gives consumers a discount to food that would otherwise go to waste.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations said food loss and waste accounted for 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Food waste is a major source of other greenhouse gases, such as methane, a pollutant that is at least 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
With apps like FoodCloud and YourLocal, stakeholders can work together to create a cleaner, greener society.
Although it will take time for P4G’s partnerships to have concrete results, the initiative acts as a foundation to get the conversation started.
Acharya said: “Can the public sector start to work with private companies towards a solution: short-term, quick, commercial, action-oriented solutions?
“They need to come a little closer together and try to speak the same language.”
More than 400 public-private partnerships from more than 80 countries have applied to receive funding or support through P4G, proposing a range of solutions to drive sustainable development.
Acharya said: “It was really encouraging. I saw revolutionary ideas. I’m very inspired by these partnerships,”
Launched last year , P4G awards up to US$4 million annually to help between 10 and 15 partnerships and accelerate sustainable development solutions.
Winners will be announced at the first P4G summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October. IPS