Background

Bangladesh’s contribution to global warming is negligible but it is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change such as economic and social development, production and consumption patterns, and employment, incomes and livelihoods of very large number of the population, particularly the poor. Sustainable development of the country is therefore integrally related to the response to the climate change, adaptation to it and efforts to mitigate it by concerted efforts. The country has been active nationally and internationally in leading the issue of climate change and has developed Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (2009). The document has identified a number of actions towards adaptation as well as low-carbon development pathways. The environmental consequences of climate change have been much discussed and draw major attention of the world. However, the way that climate change will affect particularly the labour market, jobs and workers has to date been addressed insufficiently. To address the above weakness, Green Jobs Asia Regional project was launched to bring the ILO constituents and social partners into climate change discussion. The project, funded by the Government of Australia, covers five countries including Bangladesh. It seeks to deepen ILO constituents understanding and commitments for the promotion of gender sensitive green jobs opportunities and a just transition towards a low-carbon, climate resilient, environmentally friendly development. To achieve this project strategy focuses on:

• Promoting the capacity of ILO constituents to engage in dialogue on green jobs through increased access to reliable sources of data and information on green jobs and training, including on the employment impacts of environment-related policies and good practices on green jobs;
• Green jobs being mainstreamed in national labour and social policy of participating countries;
• Green Jobs demonstration programs which respond to the different needs of women and men, implemented in key sectors selected on the basis of research and consultations.

The strategy of the project rests strongly on capacity building, which includes training activities for constituents and partners. In the first project Advisory Meeting of the GJA project (Bangladesh component), several participants expressed the need for awareness raising on green jobs concept.

In response to those, the two-day long foundation training has been organized in Dhaka under the ILO GJA project.

Purpose and Content

The objective of the training was to develop capacity of ILO constituents and partners so that they become better-equipped to engage in discussion and actions related to green jobs and the links between environmental and employment issues.

Through the training, participants were introduced to the conceptual framework for promoting green jobs and principles of a just transition. It included:

Key concepts of climate change and environmental issues

• Linkages to employment and the world of work – core notions of green jobs and just transition
• National context and policy framework for climate change and links to employment and skills
• Potential roles and contributions of constituents in the promotion of green jobs, green businesses and a just transition given the current frame conditions, and possible scenarios in the mid-term (3-5 years).

It was expected that the enhanced understanding of such issues gained through the training would place constituents in a better position to engage in dialogue related to green jobs and the links between environmental and employment issues. The foundation training highlighted areas for further capacity building under GJA project.

Participants

Participants included ILO constituents, relevant ministries and departments and social partners within the framework of the Green Jobs in Asia Project. Total number participants were about 45.

Mode of training

The training was comprised of power point presentations, interactive question and answer sessions, small group discussions and group exercise. Resource persons and experts at national level and facilitators from ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok conducted the training sessions. Overall organization of the training was carried out by Waste Concern Consultants.