No. 22

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Challenges of Green Economy to the Lifelong Learning System

15 December 2010

Studies

RiTo No. 22, 2010

  • Olav Aarna

    Member of Board, Foundation Estonian Qualification Authority

One achievement of the last decade is the clearly acknowledged need to make the economy of the world and of every country more environment friendly, more sustainable in terms of energy and raw materials – this means, greener.

However, a much more complicated question is how to move on from acknowledging of the problem to the level of activities. In 2009, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) launched an international comparative study “Skills for green jobs” with participation of 26 states, including Estonia. The study gives a thorough overview of what has been done in Estonia in the formation of a policy which would ensure the development of green economy and of a lifelong learning system which would meet the needs of green economy. The axis of our green policy is the national strategy for sustainable development “Sustainable Estonia 21”, adopted in the Riigikogu in 2005, to which a whole lot of specific strategies and development and activity plans oriented to a closer time horizon (3–7 years) covering all important spheres of economy and lifelong learning can be added. In conclusion, the Estonian lifelong learning system has so far been relatively successful in facing the challenges of green economy. One reason of this success is flexible combination of the state-directed policy-based approach with the development needs of enterprises.

Full article in Estonian

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