Rachida Yacoubi

Status: nonprofit organization, registered in Spain, global scope

Mission: boost the creation & impact of cooperative, sustainable, and sound businesses tackling clim. change

Objectives:

1. Promote, connect and empower climate-champion ecopreneurs

2. Strengthen local green economy ecosystems

3. Boost sustainable business networks

4. Implement the Paris Agreement & UN Sustainable Development Goals through SMEs

Results:• 7 cities, 4 EU countries• 50+ organizations• 400 participants• 28 SMEs, 16 climate champions• Web: 12,000 visits, 61 countries• Tw: 2,8 M impres., 250 users• Fb: 155 K pp. reached, 20K engaged

"Opportunities and challenges for SMEs in realising the COP21 vision"

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• October 24-30, 2016• Half-day events: climate innovation labs + Climate Champion Awards

22 cities & communities in 15 countries

• 22 cities, 16 countries• 650+ green economy professionals• 27 climate organizers, 97 local partners• 100 ecopreneurs, 26 climate champions• Web: 20,000 visits, 76 countries• Tw: 8.1 M impres., 473 users

Challenges (common):

• Energy: lack of info, centralized prod., fossil fuels• Urban: centraliz., transport, pollution, tourism• Water: misuse, ineffective irrigation• Waste: lack or inappropriate management• Education & awareness: low, connection w. nature

Green business opportunities:

• Clean, distributed & collective energy prod/cons.• Knowledge companies, hubs for packages• Car pooling/sharing, cycling• Grassroots urban planning & gardening• Eco-tourism• Recycling• Organic agriculture• Wetlands and water tanks• Behavioral-change educational campaigns (plastic)• Sustainability through fun (yoga)

“Radical” Eco-entrepreneurship:

• Joining and propelling social movements

• Partnerships with other sust. organizations

• Breaking stereotypes

• Shared, collaborative and circular economy

• Exploring new technologies

Large-scale challenges:

• Old technologies

• Mining, extractive & destructive practices

• Deforestation, fires, droughts, ocean acidification, displacement of native species

• Corruption and oligopolies

• Insufficient funding for SMEs/entrepreneurs, need for training & coaching to develop ideas

• Low self-confidence and belief in one’s capacities

• Lack of trust in sustainable brands

• Low governmental support, inadequate legislation and/or law enforcement

• Lack of unions

• Lack of visibility of sustainable alternatives, especially coming from SMEs

Policy recommendations:

• Better environmental education and in general• National strategies towards sustainable economy • Decentralized & 100% renewable energy system • Synergy creation among stakeholders• Improvement of legislation and broader outreach • Engagement of local governments• Cooperation with international organizations• Taxation on pollution: plastic bags, vehicles ...• Public transport, sust. infrastructure (cycling) • More green spaces in urban environments

City-level pledges:

Berlin 2050: zero-carbon city by 2050• Climate Innovation labs in neighborhoods• Local climate think tank “COB1”

Reading 2020: empower local gover. for inclusive city• Comprehensive cycle network• Monthly Car-Free Work-Day• 25% Energy self-sufficiency: renewables + storage• 25% food vegan self-sufficiency• 25% of new homes Passive House

• Ibero-Rest: ecological restoration• Green Age: open source env. educ.• Fresh Square: smart garden• Soty Solar: rooftop energy marketp.• PandoraHub: network of makers & places• Slow Sea: zero-emission boats• Winterveld Recycling Art Project• GREEN HUB: sustainable lifestyles• SGFE Cambodia: sust. cooking fuel• Juan Paredes: fish passage devices• Revertia: integral waste management

• Tech4plus: water treatment tech• ARK Armenia: eco-tourism• Green Essential: essential oils• OEEX: peer2peer energy marketp.• Breeze: air quality• Sharecy: food saving app• CeroCeo2: satellite env. quality• 30 Días en Bici: cycling community• Elum Energy: Energy OS• REWET: Reduce Water Evaporation in Trees• PEAR - EGAO Project: mini-solar home system

ecopreneurs4climate.org

ECOPRENEURS create sustainable value!

• Climate & environmental solutions

• Eco-awareness

• Green & quality local jobs

• Fair trade

• Economic equality & opportunity

• Community empowerment & democracy

• Social cohesion & peace

Cyril Colin

ecopreneurs4climate.org