GreenEntrepreneurship

catalysing the transition to Mediterranean Green Economies

Enrique de Villamore Martín, CP/RAC’s DirectorMCSD, Budva, Montenegro, 30,31 May and 1 June 2011

Green Economy (UNEP)

That which results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

Person who has possession of a new enterprise, venture or idea and is accountable for the inherent risks and the outcome

Wikipedia

Entrepreneurs: key drivers of economic progress, contributors to technological innovation and new job growth

World Economic Forum

Source: Global Entrepreneurship and the Successful Growth Strategies of Early-Stage Companieshttp://www.businessandleadership.com

ENTREPRENEURSdriving forces in the economies

One that:

• Integrates environmental, economic & social axis in core business

• Provides innovative solutions to the way goods and services are produced & consumed

• Proposes a business model whose scaling-up contributes to the greening of the economy

What is a GREEN ENTREPRENEUR?

... A CHANGEMAKER

CP/RAC’s Action Plan on GREEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

CP/RAC’s activity in compliance with the tasks of the RACs and MAP to support the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (COP 2008, Almeria):

Generate and manage relevant knowledge to inform and substantiate policy dialogues, decisions and action (…)

3 phases

1. Identifying assets and challenges for Green Entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean and collection of succesful cases to be replicated

2. Awareness Raising on governments, businesses and financial institutions

3. Moving to action: technical assistance to green entrepreneurs

Phase 1: State of the art on Green Entrepreneurship in Mediterranean countries, collection of cases and views from the actors

Reports on the state of the art in Med Arab countries and Turkey

Collection of 25 best case studies (pre-selection of 50)

Views from Green Entrepreneurs on the challenges & opportunities in the Mediterranean region

Technical support of CEDARE (member of the Steering committee of the Arab Roundtable for Sustainable consumption and production), the Turkish Technology Development Foundation and Barcelonya,

4 key criteria in selecting the cases

1. Solutions oriented – tackling an environmental and a social challenge – “transforming our world for the better”

2. Stimulating sustainable lifestyles – developing products or services that enable individuals to make more sustainable every day choices

3. Innovation – promoting systemic change, ”disrupting the status quo” e.g. moving from providing products to services (dematerializing the economy)

4. Economic feasibility of the business

Green entrepreneurs in the Mediterranean

Terre de LiensEthical investment

CompostadoresCompost units

Concepto VerdingTextile

Green ChipElectronics Recycling

GaeaFood production

KaragönlerBiofuel from waste

Sakrah Women’s CooperativeAgriculture & crafts

Ezgi GidaFood production

Souk el TayebFarmers markets

BugdayFarmers markets& agrotourism

ASSIDNatural medicine

Ecobike Israel Cycling tourism

Taziry EcolodgeEcotourism

Tanaïl EcolodgeEcotourism

VIP dry car cleaningEco-design

Cop (M)adamRecycled products

SteppenEco-design

JESRecycling

ADAPT EgyptHousingMilles Collines

Textile

SEKEMOrganic Production

Consortium of companies producing and distributing organic and biodynamic food, textile and pharmaceutical products in Egypt and abroad.

Economic 2,000 jobs, annual turnover 23m€

Environmental Chemical pesticides-free production, Closed nutrient cycles tackle climate change, resource depletion and desertification.

Social Education & health programmes through SEKEM development foundation

SEKEM (EGYPT)

GREEN FOOD, TEXTILE AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Company that collects dismantles and sorts electronic waste, recovering precious and non ferrous metals and selling other dismantled products.

Economic 24 full time jobs, 150 part time, annual turnover 2m US$

Environmental Reduction in contamination of soil & groundwater from e-waste, 120.000 tonnes of e-waste to be recycled per year

Social 65 young unemployed trained each year in computer maintenance & recycled computers donated to schools

GREEN CHIP (MOROCCO)

RECYCLING

Tourism facility integrating traditional construction, renewable energy, organic farming and cultural heritage.

Economic 29 full time jobs & 80 part time sustainable construction workers

Environmental Use of locally sourced renewable construction materials, reduced pesticide, fertiliers & fossil fuel use

Social Preservation & celebration of Siwa culture (caligraphy, arquitecture, poetry)

TAZIRY ECOLODGE (EGYPT)

GREEN TOURISM

Findings from the interviews with 25 green entrepreneurs from different Mediterranean countries

Common assets• Vision & values• Relationships & networks• Leadership & focus• Targeted innovation• Problem analysis

• Limited access to investment• Absence of public support for

entrepreneurs• Weak environmental legislation• Lack of market incentives• Lack of entrepreneurship culture• Low interest from consumers• Bureaucracy

Shared challenges

• Green Entrpreneurs still unknown concept in the region• More active role needed from government & investors• Women’s empowerment key for employment• Governance structure influences the scale of employment• Green Entrpreneurs need acess to capital, training & key stakeholders• Exchange of GE across borders is limited• Different stages of entrepreneurship have different needs

Reflections

Organized by CP/RAC, ASCAME and UpM, within the Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders

Participants from companies, financial institutions

Dissemination of succesful cases of green entrepreneurship, knowledge exchange, networking

V ECOMEDA GREEN FORUM November 2011, Barcelona

Phase 2: Awareness Raising to businesses and financial institutions

Regional Workshop on Green Entrepreneurship and Green Jobs, 2012

2. Advice and support to start up green entrepreneurs through the connection with existing entrepreneurs and other experts

3. Motivation for potential green entrepreneurs to develop green enterprises in collaboration withwith business schools and universities

4. Facilitation of local multistakeholder dialogue to design business solutions for local environmental problems

4 Proposals for action

1. Mechanisms for up and running green entrepreneurs to develop and expand initiatives through the exchange of information and experiences

Phase 3: moving from awareness raising to technical support to Green Mediterranean Entrepreneurs

VisionThe Mediterranean region has the right conditionsfor green entrepreneurs and grass root initiatives

to provide innovative solutions contributingto the transition to green economies

in the Mediterranean countries.

ChallengeCreate the conditions for potential, start ups and up and running entrepreneurs to provide

innovative solutions to environmental and social challenges in the region.

Regional Activity Center for Cleaner Productionevillamore@cprac.org

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