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Launch of the EU4Environment RECP activities in Azerbaijan: call for enterprises and experts

10/06/2021

Within the framework of the EU-funded “EU4Environment” Action, UNIDO, one of the implementing partners, launches in Azerbaijan the activities dedicated to the application of Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) for industrial enterprises. The launch comes at a time when the international community’s agenda pushes for critical green decision-making. The event also goes in line with the national commitments for achieving the Azerbaijan 2030 plans on setting the priorities for socio-economic development and green growth. In this sense, three out of the five identified national priorities for the next decade in Azerbaijan are directly related to RECP, aiming to build a steadily growing competitive economy, and nurturing a clean environment.

Spanning until 2022, this work will demonstrate the application of the RECP methodology in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and further promote the use of principles and practices of RECP and Circular Economy (CE). What is more, under Result 2, “Circular Economy and New Growth Opportunities” Component of the EU4Environment Action, UNIDO will further scale up the implementation of the RECP methodology among SMEs in Azerbaijan by building the capacity of the enterprises to use RECP approaches in their systems and operations via:

  • Training national experts on RECP methodology, conducting RECP assessments and developing business cases to demonstrate benefits in the national context
  • Establishing RECP Clubs of enterprises (introducing peer coaching mechanisms in selected municipalities)
  • Piloting Industrial Waste Mapping (in selected regions)
  • Conducting events tailored to raising awareness & sharing knowledge on the principles of circular economy
  • Exploring the applicability of the EU Single Market for Green Products (SMGP) initiative

In this endeavour, the first activities of the EU4Environment Action in Azerbaijan are the calls for experts and interested industrial enterprises to join the RECP Demonstration activities, aiming to reduce the consumption of resources, including energy and water, whilst increasing the productivity, as well as the well-being of workers and associated communities, at large. The selected enterprises and professionals will be equipped with practical, hands-on experience on how to use the RECP methodology and develop concrete steps to improve the performance of businesses.

The first call is for experts and professionals interested to be trained on the application of the RECP methodology in SMEs in Azerbaijan, contributing this way to the overall RECP demonstration in the country.

The second call is for companies (manufacturing SMEs) interested in participating in the implementation of the RECP Project in Azerbaijan as demonstration enterprises.

In Azerbaijan, the implementation of the RECP activities will be supported by a National Implementing Partner of UNIDO, comprised of a consortium of national members (ACE Consultants Group and Azerbaijan Bank Training Center) under the leadership of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (acting as the National counterparts of the Action).