SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility kicks start new phase
September was a big month for SWITCH-Asia Sustainable Consumption and Production Facility (SCP Facility), a European Union-funded (EU) programme implemented by the Consortium of GIZ, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and adelphi, with its formal launch taking place on 20 September followed by a regional networking event attended by nearly 200 stakeholders from across the region.
SCP Facility was one of the three components under SWITCH-Asia that were introduced during the event. The other two components included the Regional Policy Advocacy Component (RPAC) implemented by UN Environment and the Grants Programme, which saw 11 new projects start in 2018. During the event, the SCP Facility also launched its digital ecosystem, SWITCHED-ON, a network designed to give organisations working in the SCP landscape an opportunity to collaborate and develop plans to aid Asia’s transformation towards sustainable consumption and production.
In his opening remarks, European Union Ambassador to Thailand, Mr. Pirkka Tapiola, confirmed the importance of the SWITCH-Asia Programme, saying: “The EU has been at the forefront of this fight for a long time and we stand by our commitment to sustainable consumption and production through SWITCH-Asia”. SWITCH-Asia has been operating since 2007 and has funded nearly 300 million Euros in activities. The tripartite partnership between IGES, adelphi and GIZ is key to this work as the SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility acts as the backbone of the programme in the new phase with an expanded mandate from the Network Facility that preceded it.
Mr. Andrew Jacobs, Head of Regional Policy Sector Analysis for the Directorate-General of International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) at the European Commission, pointed out that SWITCH-Asia has reached more than 30,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). “This has led to major economic gains over the years and supported the environment. We are proud to see this work continuing.”
On the second day of activities, the Regional Networking Event saw SWITCH-Asia’s work laid out in more detail. It also provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss key issues involving sustainable consumption and production in sessions led by thematic experts. The session on The Media and Communicating on SCP was moderated by Mr. Ricardo Dunn, Head of Communications for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) and included panellists from Reuters and the Managing Director of Asia News Network, a coalition of more than 23 leading new organisations from across the region. In other discussions, SWITCH-Asia grants along with representatives from governments across the region and experts from organisations such as the Global Green Growth Institute, 10YFP and the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme as well as partners from SWITCH Africa Green and Switch to Green, confronted major issues affecting progress on sustainable consumption and production.
With such a large gathering of organisations committed to pushing for more projects and better policies to support sustainable consumption and production, the second phase of SWITCH-Asia is off to a strong start. Importantly, SWITCH-Asia has aligned with the global development agenda, which will only amplify its impacts further.
According to Arab Hoballah, Team Leader for the SCP Facility: “SCP is a cross-cutting issue for the SDGs, making SCP and the set of SCP related targets a, if not the key driver for the overall package of SDGs. This will require all entities and personnel dealing with the SDGs to move away from thematic silos, opting instead for an integrated systemic approach.”
The SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility will organise the Regional Networking Event annually. It has already begun national consultations on sustainable consumption and production at a rapid pace, signalling that next year’s event will see even more progress.
For further information about SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility, please visit www.switch-asia.eu
Photos: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FuyW0T0GCHUdFmqe7TA0BrpfMci0HKtO
About SWITCH-Asia
It is the largest sustainable consumption and production (SCP) programme supported by the European Union with nearly 300 Million Euros in funding since 2007. SWITCH-Asia further promotes sustainable consumption and production in support to green economy, poverty reduction and climate mitigation in Asia.
The SCP Facility manages collaboration between components, responds to demand-driven policy assistance requests from governments and other stakeholders, frames national needs and assists in delivering on related priorities, improves networking and communicating and builds Communities of Interest in line with regional priorities. The SCP Facility is implemented by a Consortium of GIZ, adelphi and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES).
The Regional Policy Advocacy Component (RPAC) connects SWITCH-Asia to the regional SCP agenda, working in tandem with the SCP Facility to strengthen dialogue at multiple levels simultaneously. The RPAC enhances SCP-related regulatory frameworks at the regional and national levels, builds effective policy instruments and strengthens regional and capabilities and awareness. The Regional Policy Advocacy Component is implemented by UN Environment.
The Grants Programme is the largest budget component of SWITCH-Asia, has supported 106 projects across Asia. The projects cover key SCP themes according to country needs, from consumer awareness raising to eco-innovation for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and sustainable supply chain management to SCP Policies and Action Plans. Grants Programme projects are implemented by European and Asian organisations and coordinated through EU Delegations based in the region.
Skyler Wiet
Communications Manager, SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility
Email:skyler(at)switch-asia.eu