The Inter-agency Platform for Collaboration on Tax plans to hold its first global conference on the theme of ‘Taxation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’. The conference aims to take forward the global dialogue on the role of tax in achieving the SDGs, and seek country insights on relevant challenges and opportunities. Proposed thematic areas include: Domestic resource mobilization and the State; Role of tax in supporting sustainable economic growth, investment and trade; Tax and the social dimension: addressing poverty, inequality and health; Tax capacity development; and Tax cooperation and the SDGs. The Platform is a joint initiative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UN and the World Bank Group. For further information visit the World Bank website on the Platform and the website of the SDG Knowledge Hub.

South Africa has made great strides in adopting green economy strategies, with the hallmark adoption of the Green Economy Accord in 2011 and National Development Plan in 2012, infusing significant political support to a new, multi-stakeholder approach to a green economy transition. As illustrated in the Green Economy Inventory for South Africa, green economy initiatives are abound and government resources have backed investments in a range of sectors and provinces. Since 2011, eight of the nine provinces in the country have embarked on drafting provincial green economy or related strategies, notably in renewable energy, which would reflect the particularities of a green economy transition in the province, in relation to the national policy context.

PAGE has developed the Academy on Green Economy, which aims to strengthen the capacity of governments and non-state actors to put inclusive green economy principles into practice. PAGE national academies position the learning opportunity at the heart of the national and sub-national development processes and on-going SDG discussions, while offering an opportunity for governmental and non-governmental actors to become familiar with inclusive green economy principles, approaches and tools that PAGE promotes.

The Green Economy Academy in South Africa will be a 4.5 day capacity building event to address a fundamental question: how to achieve inclusive green economies at provincial level in South Africa? By gathering policy-makers and representatives from non-state actors (civil society, trade unions, business associations, and knowledge and research institutes) at provincial level, it provides, in a training and knowledge sharing format, an in-depth overview and understanding of the latest global and national agendas, as well as practical tools and good practices – from assessments, to stakeholder engagement, national and sectoral policy formulation and strategy implementation – that several countries are adopting in their efforts to transition to environmentally viable and socially inclusive economies.

Additional details will be provided in the coming weeks.

In view of the December 12, 2017, Paris Declaration on Carbon Pricing in the Americas adhered to by national and subnational governments of the Americas, the Ministry of the Environment of Chile, with the support of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America & the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Government of Canada, the World Bank Group, IETA, GIZ and the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) is hosting a series of events on Carbon Pricing and Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems on January 22-24, 2018, in Santiago, Chile.

The events will include a High Level policy dialogue (22nd January) and two technical workshops (on 23rd and 24th). The Ministry of the Environment and the CPLC will also be hosting the first meeting of the Platform of Carbon Pricing in the Americas with the participation of national and subnational jurisdictions (January 23). Also, the Ministry of the Environment will be hosting the first a meeting of the Pacific Alliance MRV Working Group (January 24).

These events will bring together public authorities and experts from public and private sectors, from the Americas as well as international experts from California, Canada and Europe, to discuss carbon-pricing and the development of carbon markets in the region.

On 16 January 2018 the 6th Berlin Climate Talk will take place. In cooperation with our members, Bürgerlobby Klimaschutz, FÖS/Green Budget Germany and Germanwatch, the talk will address CO2 pricing – the means of choice to achieve German climate targets?

Key questions to be addressed include:

• Which concepts of CO2 pricing are there? Which proposals are there for an income-neutral and socially acceptable design?
• How must CO2 pricing be implemented so that it can have a steering effect?
• What must the next federal government do to move the issue forward?
• What are the opportunities for carbon pricing in Europe?

Please note that this event will take place in German.

The 10th Africa Carbon Forum (ACF) will focus on how engagement between State and non‐State actors can be further strengthened in the key sectors for Africa (energy, agriculture and human settlements), including the role of future carbon markets to achieve enhanced climate action, towards the goals of sustainable development.

The event will cover:

• Practical examples of policies, initiatives and actions in Africa;
• Barriers and enabling measures for engaging climate action in key sectors;
• Financial instruments and regulatory frameworks; and,
• Advancing the implementation of climate action.

With a comprehensive programme of plenary sessions, workshops, a ministerial section, side events and exhibits, this is a one of a kind event in the region.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) will deliver the second edition of the moderated e-course ‘Green Fiscal Reform’ (in English) between 9 April – 1 June 2018. Fiscal policies widely impact supply and demand in the economy and are thus an important instrument in policymakers’ toolkit to drive the green transition.

The course introduces various concepts, policy instruments and enabling conditions to identify, assess and harness benefits of fiscal policies in the context of the 2030 Development Agenda.

Fellowships are available to enable interested learners from developing countries. The application deadline for fellowships is 26 March. The regular application deadline is 2 April.

Further information can be found at the registration link or via page@unitar.org.

Over the last decade the use of markets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has come of age. Carbon markets are now in operation, in the pipeline or under consideration in a multitude of regional, national and sub-national jurisdictions around the world. With the recent announcement of a Chinese national emissions trading system, markets will soon cover well over 20% of global CO2 emissions. This share is expected to increase further as countries start implementing their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

When markets for emission permits emerged during the 1980s, they had elementary design features that reflected the traditional objectives and skills of environmental economists in regulating local pollutants from relatively few sources. Today, carbon markets are much more complex, having evolved structurally and weathered the impacts of business cycles and the financial crisis. This evolution has raised topical questions on subjects including permit market responsiveness, impacts on firm performance, ambition levels, anti-leakage provisions and inter-connectedness.

This one-day event, organised by the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics, will bring together top academics and policymakers to map and explore the frontiers of research on carbon markets and their implications for policy. It will feature invited presentations of cutting-edge theoretical and empirical research on carbon markets as well as keynote speeches by Frank J. Convery, Carolyn Fischer and Bard Harstad. A panel consisting of senior policymakers (tbc) will reflect on the policy implications of the research presented and highlight areas where existing knowledge gaps are the most pressing.

The CIES is delighted to partner with the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) at the occasion of the launch of its three publications on green industrial policy: “Green Industrial Policy and Trade: A Toolbox”, “Practitioner’s Guide to Strategic Green Industrial Policy”, and “Green Industrial Policy: Concept, Policies, Country Experiences”.

In light of the urgency to shift the economy to a sustainable pathway, green industrial policies are proposed as a way to accelerate transformative change. During a panel discussion, speakers will discuss the potential of green industrial policy to support an inclusive green economy transition, drawing on the insights from the three publications developed by PAGE and country-level policy experience.

Speakers:

• Tilman Altenburg, Head of the Department of Sustainable Economic and Social Development, German Development Institute (DIE) and co-editor of “Green Industrial Policy: Concept, Policies, Country Experiences”
• UNIDO representative (TBC)
• Jorge E. Viñuales, Professor for Law and Environmental Policy, University of Cambridge, and lead author of “Green Industrial Policy and Trade: A Toolbox”
• Her Excellency Ms. Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations Office at Geneva
• Moderator: Steven Stone, Chief, Resources and Markets Branch, UN Environment

The panel discussion will be followed by a reception. Entrance is free, but registration is highly encouraged.

Research and analysis can underpin effective carbon pricing design and implementation. With the goal to strengthen the knowledge base on carbon pricing and foster an improved understanding of the evolving challenges to its successful application, the  Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) will convene researchers and practitioners for a CPLC Research Conference, scheduled to take place in late January 2019.

The CPLC will convene researchers, policy makers, and practitioners at this international research conference to strengthen the knowledge base on carbon pricing and foster an improved understanding of the evolving challenges to its successful application. Leveraging its high-level membership of governments, the private sector, and civil society organisations, the Coalition will draw on outcomes of this conference to help bridge the existing gap between theory and practice, and to inform future decisions taken by policy makers and corporate leaders.

For further information, visit the Conference website.

This pioneering annual event convenes leading actors across the green finance community to help catalyse and support the transition to a green, low-emissions and climate-resilient global economy. For further information, visit the OECD website.

This conference will explore, conceptualize and measure the impacts of various types of fossil fuel consumption and production subsidies on international trade. The conference is organised by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration (CTEI) of the Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies (IHEID). For further information on the conference, visit the GSI website.

The Global Conference on Environmental Taxation (GCET) is the leading global forum for exchanges on the principles and practices of environmental taxation and other market-based instruments relevant for greening of the economy and a more sustainable development. The 19th Conference (GCET19) will focus on the issues of Urban Concentration and Increasing Transport. The conference will be hosted by CEU San Pablo University in Madrid, Spain.

The International Conference on Fossil Fuel Supply and Climate Policy explores the many opportunities for, and challenges of, supply-side strategies in recognition that many countries rely on fossil fuel extraction and trade for their energy security, economic development, and political influence. This two-day conference will build on the growing interest in whether and how climate policy should seek to limit the supply of fossil fuels. It will bring together academics and practitioners to reflect on lessons learned and continue the discussion on how policies, plans and investment decisions on fossil fuel extraction and trade can be more consistent with long-term climate goals, and how a just transition away from the fossil fuel economy can be secured.

This Executive Webinar introduces key environmental considerations related to oil and gas exploration and production. The 90-minute webinar is aimed at practitioners in the oil and gas sector including policymakers, civil society, academia and the public. There will be live discussion with oil and gas industry experts. The Executive Webinar is organized by UN Environment in partnership with the Government of Norway’s Oil for Development Programme.

Receive updates and register for the webinar by signing up here.

For further information, see the webinar flyer

The meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development in 2018 convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council will be held from 9 to 18 July 2018; including the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from 16 to 18 July 2018. The theme will be “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”. For further information, visit the event webpage.

The 19th Global Conference on Environmental Taxation (GCET19) will take place in Madrid, Spain from 26-28 September 2018. The Green Fiscal Policy Network will organise a side-event at the conference on ‘Delivering the Paris Climate Agreement – The role of green fiscal reforms in the transport sector’. This event will examine how green fiscal reforms in the transport sector can support countries’ efforts to mitigate GHG emissions and mobilize climate financing to meet their commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement. It will discuss potential fiscal policy instruments and reforms in the transport sector which can help countries implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, explore lessons from best practices in using such instruments, and political and other challenges to further action.

The Third Ministerial Conference of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) – ‘Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Economies’is hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa. It will bring together around 500 innovators and leaders from governments, civil society, private sector, development organizations, media and the general public to highlight and celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusivity as drivers of green industries, and as the bedrock for a better and more sustainable future for all. The themes of the conference are: Green Finance- How do we unlock Green Finance; Strategies and Policies for a Green Economy; Economic and Social Inclusion; Sustainable Consumption and Production – Circular Economy. For further information, visit the event webpage.

Fossil fuel subsidies stood at about USD 425 billion in 2015. This is 7.5 times more than the amount of financing required for universal electricity access. Reforming subsidies has massive benefits as a means of implementation for the global transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies. Nevertheless, reform requires effort from political leaders, civil society and sound information to be successful.

This side event at the 2018 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development presents opportunities for financing and delivering the SDGs through fossil fuel subsidy reform, with a focus on sustainable energy access. Speakers will present replicable strategies for fossil fuel subsidy reform with high benefits for poverty reduction, gender and the SDGs. These strategies include better targeting of subsidies and subsidy “SWAPs”, i.e. shifting fossil fuel subsidies towards sustainable energy solutions like renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as investments in public transport. The event will also see the launch of a report on the interlinkages between energy access and fossil fuel subsidies.

The side event is organised by New Zealand on behalf of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (“Friends”),  with Finland, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway as co-organisers. IISD’s Global Subsidies Initiative is coordinating the event. For further information see the event flyer or visit the GSI website.

SPEAKERS

• Chair and opening remarks: Craig Hawke, Permanent Representative of New Zealand
• Moderator: Scott Vaughan, President and CEO, IISD
• Panelists:

• • Annika Lindblom, Secretary General, National Commission on Sustainable Development and Counsellor, Ministry of the Environment, Finland
  • Anna Zinecker, Policy Advisor, IISD
  • Ligia Noronha, Director, Economy Division, UN Environment

For more information or to confirm your attendance, please contact: Anna Zinecker, IISD, +41774580731, azinecker@iisd.org

The Paris Collaborative on Green Budgeting aims to support governments to “green” their fiscal policy and embed environmental sustainability commitments and green growth within budget and policy frameworks. This implies using national expenditure and revenue processes to support climate and environmental goals towards sustainable and resilient societies. This side-event is hosted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in collaboration with UN Environment and the governments of France and Mexico and will take place during the 2018 High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The objective of this side event is to discuss, disseminate and further develop new and innovative tools that provide practical assistance to governments in understanding the implications of the ecological transition for budgetary policy and fiscal sustainability. In particular, the event aims to enable the exchange of existing best practices and peer learning and to build partnerships among different actors to advocate for proposed reforms.

For further information, see the event concept note. Please register for the event by 11 July 2018. Contact: Juliane.Jansen@oecd.org; Adam.Kegley@oecd.org

Programme

Welcome and Introduction: OECD Deputy Secretary-General Masamichi Kono

Key Note: Secretary Brune Poirson, Ministry for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition of France

Panel discussion: Green Budgeting: innovative tools of budgetary policy-making towards the implementation of SDGs

• Lorena Rivero Del Paso, Deputy Director General, Performance Evaluation Unit, Ministry of Finance and Public Credit , Mexico
• Ligia Noronha, Director, Economy Division, UN Environment
• Katia Karousakis, Biodiversity Team Leader, OECD Environment Directorate

Discussant: Elisabeth Hege, Research Fellow, Governance and Financing for Sustainable Development, IDDRI

Concluding remarks: Mr. Marcos Bonturi, Director, Public Governance, OECD