National Advocacy

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GreenMatter continues to engage with stakeholders to drive the upscaling of environmental skills development in South Africa. This includes efforts to encourage the coordination of multiple green skills initiatives currently in the pipeline.
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GreenMatter catalyses and supports several initiatives to lobby for a more coordinated and focused effort to produce graduate level skills for biodiversity. A key platform is the National Environmental Skills Planning (NESP) Forum led by the Department of Environment Affairs (DEA). The Forum consists of representatives from a range of government and private organisations, SETAs, educational institutions and NGOs. It meets quarterly to identify environmental skills development needs and where possible put in place actions to address them.

​Another platform convened by GreenMatter which aims to bring together environmental and skills development agencies and advocate for stronger environmental skills development is the National Environmental Skills Summit (NESS). The NESP Forum monitors activities arising from the NESS. The NESS outlines a roadmap for prioritising skills development initiatives that will support a robust green economy for South Africa.