Please find the final post-event debriefing here!

10-11 January 2019 | Cape Town, South Africa 

The 2019 PAGE Ministerial Conference draws attention to "Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Economies" on 10 and 11 January 2019. By participating in the conference in Cape Town, South Africa, SEED is highlighting the importance of supporting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to realise and strengthen the green economy. 

With innovative business cases small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) around the world are already driving the green economy transition, creating a lasting collective impact and local green jobs for marginalized communities. These SMEs, often neglected as unsung champions of the green economy, could better realise their full potential with more multi-stakeholder support. SEED shall therefore rally support for fuelling eco-inclusive entrepreneurship through a multimedia presentation during a parallel event at the conference as well as by sharing insights into eco-inclusive enterprises and ecosystems at the SEED exhibition booth.   

SEED Side Event:  Eco-Inclusive Enterprises - Success Stories & Support Mechanisms

In a multimedia presentation, SEED outlines success stories of SMEs contributing to the Green Economy with inspiring case studies including the 2018 SEED Low Carbon Award Winners sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety together with the International Climate Initiative and SEED Award Winners from South Africa sponsored by the Government of Flanders.

SEED also showcases promising support mechanisms for SMEs that tackle challenges such as access to financing or a lack of adequate business management skills:

• SEED’s Business Development Services Support+ (BDS+) has grown to be an important element to create more enabling environments for SMEs to flourish. In South Africa SEED is even driving forward the development of a standard to ensure business development services of high quality.

• SEED’s Practitioner Labs Climate Finance bring together organisations, businesses and stakeholders to jointly address the significant financing challenges that SMEs face especially in developing and emerging economies. This action-learning platform sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, together with the International Climate Initiative, empowers stakeholders to turn challenges into solutions and prototype next-generation climate finance products.

SEED Exhibition Booth: Driving the Green Economy Transition 

Seeking Inspiration from Eco-Inclusive Enterprises 

Eco-inclusive enterprises provide market-based solutions for enabling economies and society to mitigate and adapt t o climate challenges. At its exhibition booth, SEED will demonstrate the immense potential of these enterprises to drive the green economy transition. Five inspiring enterprises from Colombia, India, Tanzania, Thailand and Uganda offering closed-loop, circular economy innovations will be featured at the booth. Their innovative solutions span from a mobile app that eases waste management and green consumption, decentralised organic fertilizer production, urban composting solutions, upcycled and durable construction materials, to eco-efficient cooking fuel and appliances.

Showcasing Enabling Policies & Climate Finance Products 

SEED presents its policy recommendations for a green economy transition along with outcomes of the Practitioner Labs Climate Finance. During the last months representatives of financial institutions came together in India, Thailand in Uganda to turn challenges into solutions and develop tangible and robust prototypes that innovate the next generation of climate finance products.

Parallel Event: Insights and Green Awards 

SEED programme participants who have established successful eco-inclusive enterprises are invited to a parallel event at the 2019 PAGE Ministerial Conference to discuss how SMEs contribute to the green economy.

The event will take off with a recognition of excellence in sustainability for:

• Ms. Alida Afrika, General Manager of Heiveld Cooperative
• Mr. Dave Lello, Founder of Ekasi Energy (South Africa, SAG-SEED Award Winner 2017)
• Ms. Pheladi Chiloane, social entrepreneur, community developer and environmentalist (South Africa, participant of the SEED Replicator programme)

There will also be an acknowledgement on the greening of the 2019 PAGE Ministerial Conference by Dr. Geraldine Reymenants, General Representative of the Government of Flanders in Southern Africa Pretoria. 

Learn more about the 2019 PAGE Minesterial Conference here.