Training objective for this webinar: The overall objective of the webinar on Enabling Policies and Strategic Frameworks is to help UNCTs to formulate a strategic approach for supporting the Green Transit ion at country level. To that end, the first part of the webinar introduced the elements of a strategic approach for supporting the green transition and presented critically how the green transition is taking place in countries in Europe and Central Asia. For the second part, the webinar provided opportunities for sharing experiences among UNCTs regarding support to governments on the green transition; exploring what could be a more strategic role in promoting and supporting the green transition; and identifying capacity development needs in UNCTs to fulfill that role.

Background on Green Transitions: The green transition is key to safeguarding our planet’s future allowing us to turn the fossil-fuel dependent economy to a green economy, in a new sustainable paradigm that drives sustainable development and peace. It is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda and directly contributes to the achievement of most of the SDG targets. The Ukraine crisis has seriously affected the Europe and Central Asia region including exacerbating the energy crisis, increased pollutants, biodiversity loss and climate change. During this time, it is important to support member states of the region to turn environmental and climate challenges into opportunities and to make the Green Transition just and inclusive for all. The success of this transition depends on strong regional coordination, involving local authorities, state-owned enterprises, the private sector, civil society, research and education institutions, youth, the financial sector, and the development community.

In response to the request by Resident Coordinators, UN Country Teams and the Development Coordination Office, the Issue Based Coalition on Environment and Climate Change for Europe and Central Asia (IBC) offers the Green Transition Training Programme dedicated to RCOs and UN Country Teams in Europe and Central Asia. The Green Transition Training Programme further builds countries’ capacities to design strategies and action plans for green transition. The content is based on the expertise and resources among the IBC members. The work is led by UNDP, UNECE, UNEP and UNESCO and facilitated by IISD, with contributions from the other IBC organisations and external experts.

The IBC Green Transitions Training Programme offers five webinars led by different agencies depending on capacity from September to November, with most having both a thematic and a sub-regional focus. The main themes, identified through various consultations with the RCOs and UNCTs, are: (1) Sustainable Finance; (2) Energy; (3) Circular Economy; (4) Plastics; and (5) Enabling policies and strategic frameworks for Green Transition at the country level.