Green skills development it is more than a short-term response to current global trends and developments. For many countries it is a long-term strategy for sustainable development and economic prosperity. Every government has a specific economic target that they want to achieve, it is a reduction of unemployment, increasing social inclusion of population and improving environmental standards and policies.
To equip the workforce with contemporary green skills, the current vocational education and training system must provide to future employees the competencies needed to match the employment opportunities that arise by the transition to a “greener economy”. There is also a strong need for green skill policies as well as special tailored training programs for students, teachers, employees of various governmental agencies and business companies that will help them to easily adapt to new working environment and ensure that both men and women are equally well-prepared for the transition to a green economy.
Civil Society Organizations in the region might take a leading role in raising awareness about green skills among all important stakeholders, that will prepare them to “green transition” of economy in near future.
In coming years employers in the region will be looking for candidates equipped with green skills that will be needed for the large infrastructure projects, renewable energy projects and overall candidates who are aware of environmentally friendly practices.
This blog will try to give a basic information about current state policies that will give opportunity promote the development of green skills and role of CSOs in taking a leading role in raising awareness on green skills among interested parties.
“Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development”
On February 2, 2021, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree approving “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development”[1].
Over the next decade, the following five National Priorities of the country’s socio-economic development should be implemented:
- a steadily growing, competitive economy
- a dynamic, inclusive society based on social justice
- areas of modern innovations and competitive human capital
- the great return to the territories liberated from occupation
- a clean environment and country of “green growth”
The government of Azerbaijan strongly supports the development of the renewable energy sector, especially the creation of green energy zones. Foreign and local investors are invited to the process of providing Azerbaijan with long-term, sustainable, affordable, and environmentally friendly energy sources. In February 2021 Azerbaijan’s Energy Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BP. The document was signed by BP’s Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey Gary Jones and Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister.[2] Under the memorandum, the sides will establish a steering committee and a working group, which are supposed to design a master plan for further decarbonization of relevant regions or cities in Azerbaijan. The plan will cover the development of trends for clean energy projects, low-carbon transport, green buildings, waste management, clean industry, natural climate solutions, integrated partnerships, as well as integrated and decarbonized energy and mobility systems.
This is why 5th national priority in social-economic development in coming ten years is “A clean environment and country of “green growth”. The Energy Ministry of Azerbaijan already had meetings with world known business companies that have extensive experience in the field of “green energy” to get best practices that they can implement in all regions of Azerbaijan. As President Aliyev mentioned in his online meeting with Italian business delegation:” …green energy concept basically for Azerbaijan is a way forward all around the country and in particular, in the liberated territories”.[3]
On December 6, 2016, the President signed additional Decree No 1138 approving the Strategic Roadmaps for National Economy and Main Economic Sectors[4]. The roadmaps include the developmental prospects of the national economy (a national economic outlook) and focus on eleven major sectors of the economy. The outlook includes a detailed short-term action plan for 2017-2020, a long-term strategy for the period covering years until 2025, and a vision for the post 2025 period.
A long-term course towards the economic development and transformation of the country
“The EU continues to be Azerbaijan’s biggest export and second biggest import market”[5] and this might explain that Azerbaijan want to pay bigger attention to environmental issues and “green growth” in coming years. During the visit of the President of European Council Charles Michel to Azerbaijan in 18 July, 2021 the President Ilham Aliyev said that “Almost 40 percent of our trade is a trade with the European Union. Last year’s trade turnover was almost $9.5 billion. $6.8 billion dollars is Azerbaijani export to EU member states. More than 1,700 companies from member states work in Azerbaijan”[6]. This means that issues related to compliance of Azerbaijani products and local industries to European standards and areas of European Green Deal will be very important for local companies and governmental organizations in coming decades.
Despite having vast oil and natural gas reserves, Azerbaijani government demonstrated that it interested in acquiring the modern “green” technologies and knowledge that will ensure country’s strategic development and sustainable growth. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent by 2030, creating a clean environment and increasing the share of green energy in production and consumption have been identified by the country leadership as the main socioeconomic development priorities. The development of the renewable energy sector in the country, especially the creation of green energy zones, is strongly supported. Foreign and local investors are invited to the process of providing Azerbaijan with long-term, sustainable, affordable and environmentally friendly energy sources”.[7]
As a matter of fact, the process of bringing “green skills and technologies” already moved to other cities of Azerbaijan. Ganja, the second-largest city in Azerbaijan, joined EBRD Green Cities in 2020 with the goal of “building a greener and more sustainable vision for the future and improving the services it provides to residents”.[8] More than 300,000 people living in Azerbaijan’s second-largest city could benefit from improvements in their urban environment, due to a partnership between the Regional Executive Authority and the EBRD. Through the adoption of a Green City Action Plan (GCAP), Ganja will take a systematic approach to addressing its urban environmental challenges with specifically tailored actions and visions.
Education that are relevant for the green transition
There are curriculum modules that were prepared through EU funded projects that have topics relevant to EGD areas such as “From farm to fork” and “Biodiversity”[9]. The State Agency for Vocational Education have plans to prepare new programs relevant for the green transition in the near future and hope to rely in this regard on best practices from European counterparts.
There are several public and private Universities that offering courses in ecology, environment protection, ecology engineering, sustainable development etc. for bachelor and master students in Azerbaijan. Some of Universities also offering PhD studies in ecology, environmental protection and relevant disciplines.
Role of CSO in promoting the development of green skills and sustainable growth
There are NGOs in Azerbaijan that are very active in raising awareness about environmental problems, promoting environmentally friendly practices and educating on how to better protect the environment. We would like to provide information about several of them that were very active in past years and implemented small- and large-scale projects in the country.
The center “EkoSfera” is a nongovernmental humanitarian organization, working in Azerbaijan since 2000 uniting environmental professionals, scientists, teachers and students, who have experience in the field of the education, ecotourism, health care, environmental and cultural protection. Main fields of activity: environmental education and training, implementation of the new methods of environmental training for kids, teenagers, students and adults.
The International Dialogue for Environmental Action (IDEA) is a Public Association that was launched in Baku by the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva on July 12, 2011. The organization is aimed to promote public awareness of environmental issues, collaboration with youth, education in the field of environmental problems and finding proper solutions for them. IDEA organized forums both at national and international level, organed the youth camps and regularly implementing specific environmental projects. It also providing educational and technical resources to schools and communities to raise their awareness on environmental issues.
Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Association was established in 2020. The main goal of associaiton is to share information on alternative and renewable energy sources, green economy and environmental protect among all interested parties[10].
National Alliance for Sustainable Azerbaijan (DANMA) unites environmental organizations and eco-activists throughout the country. DANMA organizing various events, workshops, raising awareness campaigns on issues related to sustainable development and environment protection. At the initiative of the National Alliance for Sustainable Azerbaijan (DANMA), in July 2021 discussions were held at ADA University on the problem of forest protection. During the event, representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency, FAO and UNDP, eco-activists and media representatives discussed the recent facts of deforestation in various regions of Azerbaijan.
In our opinion there is a need to implement relevant activities on promoting the awareness on green skills by CSOs that representing the business community since it is another important stakeholder along with government and civil society. For example, in Azerbaijan the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASK) is a public association that comprises more than 6,000 entrepreneurial entities. ASK has a good history of implementing many projects aim to increase the capacity development of employees, vocational skills development and cross-sector cooperation in solving various social and economic problems. It can p
There is also a potential in joint cooperation between ASK and Business Association of Georgia (BAG). Two organizations might engage in series of training in green skills and its positive impact on sustainable development for employees and government officials in two countries. BAG is a prominent organization in Georgia that unites around 100 business companies which in also unites more than 600 large and medium businesses.
BAG is already cooperating with International Executive Service Corps (IESC) within the USAID’s Industry-led Skills Development Program. The goal of this program is to promote sustainable economic growth in Georgia by equip job seekers with valuable skills. We are sure that green skills considering to be valuable skills for modern business companies and they will be interested to actively engage in supporting of training programs that allow to provide these skills to future jobseekers and other target groups.
This all at the end will allow to prepare a qualified workforce that meet the contemporary standards and prepare companies and governmental organizations for smooth green transition.
Author: Ahad Kazimov
The blog is produced within the Economic Policy Research Center’s (EPRC) project ACTION -Activating Civil Society Organizations through Training and Inclusive Operational Network. The project is implemented with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
The views expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of EPRC and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
References
[1] https://en.president.az/articles/50474 – Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on approval of “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development”
[2] https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/azerbaijan-partners-with-bp-to-meet-green-energy-targets-2021-2-24-5/
[3] https://azertag.az/en/xeber/President_Ilham_Aliyev_received_in_a_video_format_delegation_led_by_chairman_of_Italian_Maire_Tecnimont_Group_VIDEO-1703517
[4] https://president.az/articles/21993
[5] https://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/azerbaijan/
[6] https://en.president.az/articles/52511
[7] https://minenergy.gov.az/en/xeberler-arxivi/azerbaycan-enerji-ve-neqliyyat-sistemlerinin-karbonsuzlasdirilmasinda-bp-ile-emekdasliq-edecek
[8] https://www.ebrdgreencities.com/our-cities/ganja/
[9] https://vet.edu.gov.az/uploads/files/resurs/modullar1586433809.pdf
[10] https://berpaolunanenerji.az/news/beynelxalq-ve-yerli-mutexessislerin-istiraki-ile-berpa-olunan-enerji-vebinarlari-kecirilecek-2021-04-20-122556
