September 2022: SMART concluded the training sessions on climate change mitigation for client firms of the two active Recovery Programs. The goal of the training was to inform business owners and managers of environmentally-friendly business solutions and encourage practical, actionable changes in business practices and investments in renewable energy infrastructure. Experts in environmental sciences, serving as trainers in both the West Bank and Gaza, aimed to make a business case for climate change mitigation and provide business owners/managers with the knowledge and capacity to implement new business practices.

The training sessions were held between the 7^th and the 19^th of September in four different locations: Bethlehem, Gaza, Nablus, and Ramallah. 75 participants attended the sessions, from 64 different firms including 19 hotels and 45 small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The SMEs represented a wide variety of industries, including construction supplies, furniture, food processing, stone and marble, agriculture, and a variety of manufacturing sectors.

The training focused on explaining the technical aspects and raising the participants’ knowledge of the positive impact of implementing climate change mitigations including conducting some exercises and working groups.  Based on pre- and post-tests, the knowledge of the participants on climate change was 49% and this knowledge increased to 80% after completion of the training sessions.