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JUSTIS Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and the Informal Sector

Driving Innovation to Accelerate a Just Energy Transition
9 November, 2022
SDG Pavilion at CoP27, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
Venue of the event: SDG Pavilion at CoP27 
Time: 19:30 - 20:45 UTC+2
Format:   Hybrid
Zoom Link: https://unu-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p_FDUCyLTziFfNI-f0N6Nw

Summary

The global push toward net-zero emissions requires a swift transition to clean energy systems. Without specific efforts to ensure an equitable transition, including the need to manage the use of Africa's fossil fuel resources as an integral part of the transition, existing inequalities in current energy systems will worsen, resulting in winners and losers. This is especially true for the informal sector, where women constitute the majority.

Africa remains, with the right policies and support, the continent with the greatest potential for growth in clean energy and green transitions, as well as critical minerals for global green and digital transitions. However, Africa still suffers from an energy deficit, with dire consequences for growth, wellbeing and security in all its forms. 

Accelerating the transition to green energy necessitates innovative energy solutions, entrepreneurship, and increased investment facilitated by policies. To accelerate green growth and green transitions, the JUSTIS digital portal aims to bridge the gap between green entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors. 

This side event will examine the issue of just transitions in Africa, its implications and opportunities or driving access, climate action, industrialization, job creation, and social inclusion of the informal sector, which accounts for 80% of urban employment on the African continent. The event will discuss how to drive innovation to accelerate energy transitions in a way that includes marginalized groups in order to improve inclusive sustainable development towards accelerated achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063.

The JUSTIS portal will be launched, a digital platform which hosts a community of policymakers, green entrepreneurs, civil society actors and investors to engage and connect in an online marketplace where green entrepreneurs can gain greater visibility, market access and mentorship, investors can engage with green innovators, and policy makers can gain evidence to support inclusive green energy policy decisions.

Objectives

  • Examine transitions that are just within the context of Africa's development priorities.

  • Identify opportunities for promoting a green transition inclusive of the informal sector and women in Africa.

  • Sensitize African ministers and policymakers to the importance of including the informal sector in Africa's green transition in order to ensure inclusive and just transitions.

  • Identify the market opportunities for greening the informal sector and how green entrepreneurs can be encouraged and supported to drive this. 

  • Discuss methods for accelerating green entrepreneurship and technological innovation. 

  • Launch the JUSTIS digital portal to promote green business in Africa.

Documents