1. The role of civil society in the transition to a new model of economic development: Experiences from the Caribbean
Note that CANARI is a regional technical institute working across the Caribbean for nearly 30 years to promote and facilitate participatory approaches to governance of natural resources to ensure benefits to people alongside conservation.
Civil society is a diverse group representing the interests of society:
Non-profit, non-governmental
Operating at international, regional, national and local levels
Includes professional associations, technical and research institutes, service organisations, resource user groups, community groups, youth and women organisations...
Some consider includes media and academia
Caribbean Natural Resources Institute
Sarah McIntosh
Presentation to the Commonwealth People’s Forum
November 2015, Malta

2. Colourful economies? “Green” and “blue” economies
Important point is transition to a new model of economic development to one with triple co-benefits:
Economic development
Social equity
Environmental sustainability
Caribbean focuses on green economy, which emphasises social equity and environmental sustainability
Pacific SIDS blue economy – more narrow interpretation focusing on using marine resources as basis for economic development

3. Civil society is (and must be) involved in the transition to a green economy in multiple ways
In defining the agenda – leading and part of visioning
In setting the direction – part of planning
In implementing the transition – leading and involved in concrete initiatives for change in policy and practice
In evaluating performance – ensuring accountability for process and results

4. Defining the agenda for the transition
Caribbean experiences
Defining the agenda for the transition

5. What is a ‘green economy’ in the Caribbean context?
A multi-stakeholder visioning process...
CANARI facilitated a Caribbean dialogue to explore with stakeholders across the Caribbean what they think ‘green economy’ is in the Caribbean context. This involved:
A desk review of key documents on economic development
Interviews with leading development thinkers
A multi-stakeholder regional workshop in February 2011 which brought together government, private sector, academia, and civil society groups including at the community level
They came up with a Caribbean vision, characteristics and principles for what is a green economy in the Caribbean context.
What is a ‘green economy’ in the Caribbean context?

6. Caribbean vision of green economy
A Green Economy in the Caribbean context aims for long-term prosperity through equitable distribution of economic benefits and effective management of ecological resources; it is economically viable and resilient, self- directed, self-reliant, and pro-poor.
The Caribbean green economy “brand” is:
Practical, realistic, on the ground, grounded in reality
Focuses on creativity and innovation
This vision is detailed in CANARI Policy Brief 13.
CANARI Policy Brief 13

7. Green economy in the Caribbean
Characteristics
Key principles
Equitable distribution of economic benefits and effective management of ecological resources
Economically viable and resilient to both external and internal shocks
Self-directed and self-reliant
Pro-poor and generating decent jobs and working conditions for local people
Common vision
Human security
Good governance
Well educated citizenry
Young people involved
Informed and mobilised civil society
Commitment to pan- Caribbean cooperation
Note key ideas that are not emphasised in international definitions:
Economic resilience
Self-directed and self-reliant
Informed and mobilised civil society
Commitment to pan-Caribbean cooperation
Characteristics and principles are detailed in CANARI Policy Brief 13.
CANARI Policy Brief 13

8. Caribbean experiences
Setting the direction

9. A multi-stakeholder planning process...
CANARI established the Caribbean Green Economy Action Learning Group (GE ALG), as an independent group working to identify and promote ways in which green economy can advance sustainable development in the Caribbean through shaping visions, perspectives, positions and actions.
The GE ALG collectively plans research actions and draws lessons and recommendations for policy and practice. The GE ALG’s aim goes beyond increasing the knowledge of its members; its learning forms the basis for building capacity and awareness and influencing policy.
GE ALG is made up of around 20 development professionals and academics from the region, with a range of expertise including development economics, planning, tourism, agriculture, social development, public administration, rural development, environmental management, disaster management, gender and climate change. All members are in positions to implement or influence change, and many are already engaged in work that can provide material for action learning. The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) serves as convenor for the Group.
The Caribbean Green Economy Action Learning Group and a Programme of Work on Green Economy in the Caribbean

10. Programme of work: research themes
the structure and character of the economy: how to shift?
the potential benefits of a green economy: poverty reduction, employment and social inclusion?
steering the transition: leadership and institutions for intersectoral collaboration?
measuring progress: sustainable development targets and indicators and alternatives to GDP?
social policy: social protection?
energy: national and sectoral energy strategies more sustainable and resilient?
local economies: small, medium and micro-enterprises and informal economic?
trade implications: reduce trade dependency and create new export markets?
CANARI Policy Brief 14

11. Implementing the transition
Caribbean experiences
Implementing the transition

12. CANARI leading concrete initiatives...
Why SMEs?
Resilience: Because of their small size, SMEs are more f lexible, reacting immediately to changing environmental conditions, markets and events. They are able to take advantage of opportunities more quickly than their larger counterparts. They also promote innovation and creativity because of their flexibility; they are more willing to try new ideas. Limited access to resources to cushion shocks also necessitates rapid response by SMEs to economic, social and environmental changes and risks.
Reaching marginalised groups: Many SMEs, particularly those in the rural areas, involve marginalised groups such as women and youth. SMEs are attractive to women because they are able to work around their domestic responsibilities. One study indicated that women are more likely to start or maintain enterprises because of the necessity to provide incomes for their families4. Youth are drawn to small and micro entrepreneurship because of the opportunity to be independent. Others are forced into entrepreneurship due to limited employment opportunities available.
Providing social benefits: SMEs typically have deep connections to their communities, particularly those located in rural communities in the Caribbean. They work closely with the communities they are in through outsourcing of products and services, local employment and use of natural resources. This is often incentive to be good stewards of their communities and provide wider social benefits to their community.
CANARI established the Caribbean Small and Micro Enterprise Action Learning Group (SME ALG).
This is a group of 15 entrepreneurs and support agencies which is aiming to contribute to creation of a sustainable green enterprise sector (formal and informal) in the Caribbean through assessing “How can we catalyse, support and empower Small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs) so that they bring co-benefits (economic, environmental sustainability, social equity)?”
SME ALG members are working to build and share evidence-based knowledge to build understanding and capacity on what are the opportunities, what are the threats, and what could be a Caribbean strategy for economic development using SME development as a focal point.
Catalysing and supporting sustainable small and micro enterprises (SMEs) by the SME Action Learning Group

13. A research and action learning agenda
What could be a Caribbean strategy for economic development using strengthening of the SME sector as a focal point?
What are the opportunities, challenges and lessons for using SMEs to drive and develop the green economy?
What kinds of policy measures, finance instruments and programmes are able to catalyse, support and scale up sustainable SMEs?
An Action Research and Learning Agenda was developed by the SME ALG to reflect their initial assessment of the needs and priorities for their work moving ahead.
Recommendations on how SMEs can be an engine for transforming to a green economy are outlined in CANARI Policy Brief 19.
Recommendations have been given to inform Trinidad and Tobago’s Green Enterprise Development Policy, via a representative of the Ministry who is a member of the SME ALG.
CANARI Policy Brief 19

14. What activities in the SME and informal sectors contribute to green economies through resilience, innovation, low energy consumption etc.? How can these activities be effectively supported to deliver environmental, social and economic benefits?
How can green economies contribute to more resilient and sustainable livelihoods for the most vulnerable?
How can we build resilience to climate change and natural resource-based disasters in SMEs in the Caribbean?
CANARI and others are working to implement initiatives to test how SMEs can drive the green economy.
Practical recommendations for how SMEs can produce economic, social and environmental benefits are in a CANARI flyer “10 ways that SMEs ca drive the Caribbean green economy”, which is inserted into Policy Brief 19.
CANARI ’10 ways for SMEs to drive the Caribbean green economy’

15. Evaluating performance
Caribbean experiences
Evaluating performance

16. Performance in the Caribbean?
Early stages, but need to look at:
What results are being achieved by national and regional initiatives to transform to more socially just and environmentally sustainable economic development models?
Is the process being implemented by, with and for Caribbean people?
As decisions are being made about how to support the global transition to green economy, Caribbean voices need to be heard on what are their experiences and needs.
CANARI is a member of the international Green Economy Coalition, an alliance of civil society and some private sector, which supports getting local voices and realities heard in international debates.
For more information, see publications or their website.
... Need to ensure Caribbean voice in international green economy initiatives

17. The graphic shows a conceptual model of how the Caribbean Green Economy Action Learning Group (GE ALG) will work:
The right circle shows that Caribbean stakeholders are thinking and taking action on green economy at sectoral, national and regional levels.
Caribbean stakeholders are influenced via ideas and support coming from international policies and processes, shown in the red down arrow.
The red left arrow feeding into the GE ALG shows that information on needs, opportunities, challenges and experiences of other stakeholders is fed into this process.
The left circle that is the GE ALG involved internally in the action learning cycle to reflect on and analyse information and identify lessons and recommendations for policy and practice.
The action learning process produces knowledge that is communicated back to Caribbean stakeholders via the orange right arrow.
The GE ALG will communicate this knowledge directly to influence international policy and processes via the orange up and right arrow.
At the same time, Caribbean stakeholders can use this, and their own knowledge, to communicate to influence international policy and processes via the orange up arrow.
GE ALG members can take joint action in collaboration with other Caribbean stakeholders to test green economy approaches in the Caribbean, reflected in the purple star at the overlap of these two groups.

18. Green Economy Coalition
CDB renewable energy strategy
T&T Green Enterprise Policy
UNEP GE Caribbean project
Examples of impact/influence –
Communication to influence global policy and practice:
Green Economy Coalition: global network that provides a platform for communication to reach a wider global audience
Implementing projects and policy initiatives:
CANARI took work forward on SMEs under its Rural Livelihoods programme – Established a SME ALG, collectively developed a research agenda, implementing projects which include partnerships with other SME ALG members (e.g. NEDCO, YTEP, Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development)
Influencing regional initiatives:
CARICOM Secretariat is interested in developing a regional initiative (policy / strategy / programme?) on GE which will draw on work and engage CANARI and other GE ALG members
UNEP implemented a regional GE project and several of the consultants were heavily influenced by this work e.g. Jamaica study Michael Witter
Influencing sectoral initiatives
This work influenced the energy sector and development of renewable energy policy and institutional frameworks. CANARI with other members of GE ALG conducted a study on policy recommendations for transitioning to renewable energy in CARICOM as a green economy strategy. See study here:
Influencing national initiatives
This work influenced the T&T Green Enterprise Policy – a representative of the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development was a member of the SME ALG and took ideas/experiences from the group in drafting the policy
CARCOM GE initiative
CANARI’s Rural Livelihoods programme

19. Thank you! www.canari.org
Civil society has responsibility and role in the transition to a new model of economic development, based on a collective public vision of what this means, and guided by ideas on priorities for this to happen.
Caribbean civil society has already been working in collaboration with government in a bottom-up process grounded in the realities, needs, ideas and talents of Caribbean people. This is a foundation to build on.
CONCLUSION
In defining the agenda – leading and part of visioning
In setting the direction – part of planning
In implementing the transition – leading and involved in concrete initiatives for change in policy and practice
In evaluating the transition – ensuring accountability for performance
Thank you!