Webinars and Workshops of the OECD Local Development Forum

11 December 2024 | WEBINAR
Making the most of place-based industrial policy

Many OECD countries are taking a place-based approach to scale strategic sectors and bolster economic security, while some have sought to explicitly address local and regional disparities. These programmes recognise the place-based hardships of de-industrialization – coupled with demographic decline – and, increasingly, those areas disproportionately impacted by climate change. In the United States, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) looks to revitalise American manufacturing while the Chips and Science Act (CSA) aims to boost competitiveness in strategic industries with the CHIPS for America Fund which leverages direct financial incentives, R&D investment and workforce development programs to boost the U.S. semiconductor industry. 

In the European Union, the EU Green Deal and Critical Raw Materials Act seek to position the EU as a production hub for green technology and critical minerals while pursuing greater territorial cohesion. Other countries have also made large investments – rapid semiconductor deployment in Kyushu prefecture, Japan, major investments in battery production in Quebec, Canada, and similar policies spanning regional hubs in France, Germany, Brazil, the U.K., amongst others. This webinar took a look at the progress made, and lessons learned, in the implementation of place-based industrial policies, drawing from a slate of global examples with important local effects. 

5 December 2024 | WEBINAR
Valorising volunteering for people and places: International trends and experiences

Around the world, more than 860 million people volunteer at least once a month, accounting for approximately 15% of the global population. From supplementing emergency services following natural disasters, to leading youth development activities, to supporting environmental conservation, volunteers play an essential role in addressing social, environmental, and economic challenges in their communities. Their engagement yields a substantial impact, contributing an estimated 1.9% to GDP in OECD countries. Despite their importance, volunteering rates have been steadily declining in the years leading up to COVID-19, which further reinforced this trend. Although most recent data suggests that rates have rebounded to baseline levels since, several countries are still experiencing historic lows.  This underscores the urgent need to reinvigorate and volunteering and enhance its contributions to local development.

To mark International Volunteer Day, the OECD launched a new paper that takes stock of the latest trends in volunteering internationally and considers approaches to strengthening policies, programmes and initiatives to support volunteering. This webinar heard new insights from the report, followed by a panel discussion featuring leading international experts and practitioners.

28 November 2024 | HYBRID LAUNCH EVENT
Job Creation and Local Economic Development 2024: The Geography of Generative AI

Regional job markets in OECD countries are undergoing a significant transformation, including an ageing workforce, slow productivity growth, and ongoing labour shortages. These shifts, driven by new technologies and the move toward a greener economy, mean that workers will need to adapt by learning new skills, including new technologies such as Generative AI. At the same time, communities will also need to seek new economic opportunities to create jobs and support local development.

The launch of the 2024 edition of Job Creation and Local Economic Development presented the latest evidence on the impact of the twin green and digital transition on local jobs across regions in 30 OECD countries and how the geography of Generative AI is changing jobs. Participants learned about actionable policy recommendations that can help deliver a just green and digital transition and help all communities prepare for and manage the impacts.

25 November 2024 | WEBINAR
Re-imagining town centres: Local lessons from Japan and the UK

Town centres and local commercial districts are both economic and social hubs for local communities. They provide residents with local access to services and goods, are important sources of jobs and turnover, serve as community gathering points and foster local pride and identity. Despite their historic role as the “heart” of many communities, they are under increasing pressures,  such as growing competition from e-commerce, declining foot traffic, and rising rent and energy costs.

This webinar presented how local communities in Japan and the UK have come up with innovative solutions to revitalise their high streets and town centres in light of these challenges and where there might be ground for mutual learning.

11 July 2024 | WEBINAR
Leveraging culture, sports and business events for local development: International lessons for the U.S.

Part of the Global Inspirations, Local Innovations series, organised in partnership with the US Delegation of the OECD

The U.S. is gearing up to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028, as well as co-hosting the Men’s FIFA World Cup in 2026. These events will bring thousands of spectators and have the opportunity to generate economic returns for the host cities. At the same time, the U.S. regularly hosts many large-scale cultural events, such as the Sundance Film Festival, Burning Man, Coachella and SXSW. But what can host cities do to capture the long-term benefits of these events? And how can cities not hosting such high-profile festivals and tournaments, still use culture, sports and business events as a leaver of economic and social development?

With an international panel of high-level speakers and reflections from different U.S. cities, this webinar will delve into how local policy makers in the U.S. can leverage the power of culture, sports and business events for local development. 

26 June 2024 | WEBINAR

Future-proofing workforces for the green transition: International lessons for local workforce development in the U.S.

Part of OECD Local Skills Week 2024 and the Global Inspirations, Local Innovations series, organised in partnership with the US Delegation to the OECD

In the face of pressing challenges such as climate change, extreme weather events and supply chain disruptions, the green transition has become imperative. Initiatives such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act demonstrate the United States’ commitment to achieving a green transition, and are expected to create approximately 17 million new jobs over the next decade. With a national share of green-task jobs standing at 12.9% (4.7 percentage points below the OECD average), skill gaps and workforce bottlenecks across local labour markets are emerging as major challenges in filling the growing number of green vacancies in the United States.

This webinar drew on subnational examples of workforce development for the green transition to provide actionable insights in three core areas: developing attractive career transition pathways, improving inclusivity, and promoting collaboration and policy coherence.

15 April 2024 | WEBINAR
Measure, manage and maximise your impact: A dialogue with the social economy

Social impact measurement and management is a particularly helpful practice for social economy entities to understand their contribution to society and achieve their mission. Impact areas that are especially important for the social economy, such as social inclusion, well-being and community development, are often difficult to quantify. “Measure, manage and maximise your impact: A guide for the social economy” has been developed by the OECD and the European Commission to offer a clear roadmap to accompany social economy entities along their impact journey.

On 15 April we launched the guide and discussed with social economy and representatives what they do to measure and manage their social impact.

12 March 2024 | WEBINAR
Worker co-operatives across continents: Policy and practical experiences from Japan and beyond

In 2020, the Japanese legislature unanimously approved a groundbreaking law focusing on worker co-operatives, providing for the first time a centralised legal framework for the country’s worker co-operative movement. Worker co-operatives are active in many countries, and across economic and social sectors (e.g., agriculture, education, industry, culture, services, infrastructure such as electricity and water etc.). They prioritise the provision of work/employment for their worker-members who also manage the co-operative. 

To explore the implications of this law and help chart the course for the future, the OECD partnered with the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT) for this international knowledge-sharing webinar. 

We heard from policy makers and practitioners in Japan, France, Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom, as well as other international experts such as the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) who discussed topics such as how to increase uptake of the law and maximise the potential contributions of worker co-operatives to addressing social and economic challenges.

13 February 2024 | WEBINAR

Inclusive Infrastructure: Scaling-Up Local Investment in the United States

Part of the Global Inspirations, Local Innovations series, organised in partnership with the US Delegation to the OECD

With more than USD 1.57 trillion of federal funding committed over ten years, the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill provide an opportunity to close the infrastructure investment gap in the United States. Maximising the long-term benefits from this funding – from job creation to improving the quality of life to addressing geographic divides – will require scaling up the capacity for inclusive investment at all levels of government. Many OECD countries have faced similar challenges and have developed new approaches that the United States can learn from.

This webinar presented a new OECD policy brief and international case studies to highlight lessons that can help US state and local actors make the most of this historic opportunity.