The third Partnership for Action on the Green Economy (PAGE) Ministerial Conference was held in Cape Town in January 2019. The theme of the conference was Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Economies. More than 500 leaders and innovators from the government, private and the civil society sectors from more than 50 countries met to discuss policy and strategy. The conference was hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa.

A number of concept papers were produced to inform the conference. This concept document assesses the state of play at each level of policymaking. It conducts a diagnostic of the situation at the four levels of the policy pyramid: the vision, plans and strategies,measures and instruments, and toolkits. It also has targeted recommendations.

Conference papers

For other concept notes from the conference go to: https://www.tips.org.za/projects/current-projects/item/3692-page-2019-ministerial-conference-advancing-inclusive-and-sustainable-economies

The third Partnership for Action on the Green Economy (PAGE) Ministerial Conference was held in Cape Town in January 2019. The theme of the conference was Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Economies. More than 500 leaders and innovators from the government, private and the civil society sectors from more than 50 countries met to discuss policy and strategy. The conference was hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa.

A number of concept papers were produced to inform the conference, including this one on SMMEs. A gradular understanding of the structure and role of SMMEs in development and the green economy is needed to adequately harness their potential. This concept note aims to provide this analytical framework. It investigates the role of SMMEs in the economy and society, focuses on SMMEs within a green economy context, and considers the obstacles hindering thedevelopment of SMMEs. It then formulates the need and opportunity to reframe SMME development in alignment with sustainable development principles.

Conference papers

For other concept notes from the conference go to: https://www.tips.org.za/projects/current-projects/item/3692-page-2019-ministerial-conference-advancing-inclusive-and-sustainable-economies

Business Day - 16 September 2019 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)

Read online at Business Day. 

Or read as a PDF.

Business Day - 3 September 2019 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)

Read online at Business Day.

Or read as a PDF.

Mail & Guardian - 29 August 2019 by Tshegofatso Mathe 

Read online at Mail & Guardian.

Ventureburn - 28 August 2019 by Stephen Timm (Editor)

Read online at Ventureburn.

WIDER Working Paper 2019/70

This working paper, Assessment of demand in agro-processing machinery in the SADC region: A case study of the maize-milling machinery value chain in South Africa and Zambia, forms part of the project: Southern Africa – Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED)

Abstract

The SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap 2015–2063 aims to arrest deindustrialization and resuscitate manufacturing capabilities within the region. Agro-processing, the largest contributor to manufacturing in most of the member states, has been chosen as one of the growth paths to help the region reindustrialize. Because of its backward linkages with the agricultural industry and forward linkages into the diverse food industry, this subsector has received immense government support and private sector investment. However, the region faces important leakages in imports of machinery. This paper investigates whether the sector is stimulating additional manufacturing capabilities in agro-processing machinery, equipment, and parts, and whether these could drive capabilities, factor accumulation, and technological capabilitybuilding to capture the full value envisioned in the Roadmap.

Download Working Paper: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp-2019-70.pdf

TIPS acknowledges the support of the SA-TIED programme for this working paper, with special thanks to UNU-WIDER and the South African Department of Trade and Industry.

WIDER Working Paper 2019/61

This working paper, Charity begins at home The political economy of non-tariff barriers to trade in Southern Africa, forms part of the project: Southern Africa – Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED)

Abstract

Increased intra-regional trade in southern Africa will have a positive impact on eonomic growth. However, this requires a shifting of loyalties from the national to the regional.Tension between the goals of long-term regional development and shorter-term national imperatives remains unresolved. This study presents a review of recent and current local content regulation (LCR) initiatives across a sample of the South African Development Community countries. LCRs are widely used across these countries, and their use has increased recently. Evidence suggests that the impact of LCRs is mixed, depending on their national context, whether or not they are implemented in line with the genuine desire to deliver local development, and whether they can remain corruption-free. LCRs may have long-term positive domestic and regional benefits, if they support sustainable local enterprise development and employment. In time this should translate into higher levels of growth across the region, and thus drive higher levels of trade.

Download Working Paper: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp-2019-61.pdf

TIPS acknowledges the support of the SA-TIED programme for this working paper, with special thanks to UNU-WIDER and the South African Department of Trade and Industry.

The third Partnership for Action on the Green Economy (PAGE) Ministerial Conference was held in Cape Town in January 2019. The theme of the conference was Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Economies. More than 500 leaders and innovators from the government, private and the civil society sectors from more than 50 countries met to discuss policy and strategy. The conference was hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa.

A number of concept papers were produced to inform the conference, including two by TIPS.

• Green Economy Policies & Strategies Gaylor Montmasson-Clair (TIPS)
  This concept document assesses the state of play at each level of policymaking. It conducts a diagnostic of the situation at the four levels of the policy pyramid: the vision, plans and strategies,measures and instruments, and toolkits. It also has targeted recommendations.
  
  
• Inclusivity within the Green Economy - Gaylor Montmasson-Clair and Shakespear Mudombi (TIPS)
  A gradular understanding of the structure and role of SMMEs in development and the green economy is needed to adequately harness their potential. This concept note aims to provide this analytical framework. It investigates the role of SMMEs in the economy and society, focuses on SMMEs within a green economy context, and considers the obstacles hindering thedevelopment of SMMEs. It then formulates the need and opportunity to reframe SMME development in alignment with sustainable development principles.
  
  
• Sustainable Consumption and Production - Ntombifuthi Ntuli and Stanley Semelane (CSIR Energy Centre)
  This concept note takes stock of the status quo of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) implementation, particularly in the PAGE countries. It reviews the global perspective focusing on SCP application in various segments of the economy, followed by a review of the South African perspective of SCP implementation. It then looks at global best practise and at successful strategies from developed countries.
  
  
• Green Finance - By Zenizeni Sustainable Finance
  An understanding of how to unlock the much-needed funding is central for green economy implementation was one of the central themes of the conference. This paper provided the context to inform the planning of the conference’s green finance sessions.

In August 2019, the National Treasury released a discussion paper on economic policy for comment, titled Economic transformation, inclusive growth, and competitiveness: Towards an Economic Strategy for South Africa. The paper lists a compendium of proposals loosely arranged around six “fundamental building blocks” for sustainable growth plus a host of “growth reforms” organised into five themes. This briefing note first reviews the shortcomings in policy development procedures that lead to the repeated publication of bloated and ineffective economic strategies. It then briefly reviews some of the proposals in the text with an appendix that lists all the recommendations and provides some responses. Finally, the concluding section suggests a few imperatives for boosting growth in the short run.