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When: Wednesday, 21 April 2021 at 14:00-17:30 (BKK time)

Where: Online, please register here

On 21 April 2021, the Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GO4SDGs) initiative is hosting the Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Consumption and Production for an Inclusive and Resilient Recovery in Asia and the Pacific- GO4SDGS High level launch.

Asia and the Pacific is fast becoming the largest market in the world with the strongest economic growth of all regions, driven by infrastructure development, increasing domestic private consumption and intraregional trade. However, this growth remains largely founded on unsustainable consumption and production patters that exacerbate inequality and environmental degradation, intensifying existing risks and vulnerabilities in a changing climate. Since early 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic growth has been hit, especially some sectors such as tourism, transport, and circular supply chains in production.

The region plays a central role in global value chains, but at low rates of resource efficiency, presenting significant opportunities for circular economy practices. The region has regressed on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and urgently needs to reverse material consumption and footprint trends to meet the goal, notwithstanding progress on individual targets. Rising incomes and lifestyle changes and continued resource-intensive growth patterns are expected to further exacerbate resource depletion and ecosystem degradation. Concerted public and private action is needed to increase resource efficiency, fundamentally shift consumption patterns and production processes, improve waste management systems, and transition toward a more circular economy approach.

Session1

GO4SDGs High Level Launch session 2

 

Register: https://forms.gle/iJZqPQqCWS361NcJ9

GO4SDGs High level Launch - Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Consumption and Production for an Inclusive and Resilient Recovery

Wednesday, 21 April 2021 at 14:00-15:30 (BKK time)

Register: https://forms.gle/iJZqPQqCWS361NcJ9

Speakers:

Opening Remarks:

  • Ms. Dechen Tsering, Regional Director and Representative, UNEP-ROAP
  • Mr. Stephan Contius, Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda, Head of Division United Nations, Developing Countries and Emerging Economies, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany
  • Mr. Kaveh Zahedi, Deputy Executive Secretary, Sustainable Development, ESCAP

Keynote Speech:

  • Mr. Janez Potocnik, Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel (IRP) and Partner at SYSTEMIQ, “Resource Efficiency for an Economic Recovery”
  • Mr. Edgar Hertwich, Member, International Resource Panel and Professor, Norwegian University for Science and Technology “Presentation of findings of IRP report Resource Efficiency & Climate Change”

Panel Discussion:

  • Mr. Yasuo Takahashi, Executive Director, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
  • Ms. Saima Shafique, Project Manager WASH Unit, Ministry of Climate Change of Pakistan

Presentation of GO4SDGs Menu of Services and Roadmap for Asia and the Pacific: Mr. Mushtaq Memon, Regional Coordinator, Resource Efficiency, UNEP-ROAP

Moderator: Ms. Merlyn Van Voore, Head of the Secretariat of the International Resource Panel, UNEP

 

Advancing Innovation and Circularity for SMEs

Wednesday, 21 April 2021 at 16:00-17:30 (BKK time)

Organized by UNEP, Switch Asia and SEED.

Speakers:

  • Mr. Mirko Zurker, Head of SEED Asia, Co-Lead Policy
  • Mr. Adi R. Nugroho, CEO & Co-Founder, Mycotech, Indonesia
  • Mr. Guillaume Touati, Country Representative, AVSF Mongolia and Project Manager, SWITCH-Asia Sustainable Textile Production Eco Labelling Project
  • Ms. Rhea Mazumdar Singhal, Founder & CEO, Ecoware, India
  • Ms. Helen Burdett, Lead, Circular Economy Innovation, World Economic Forum

Moderator: Mr. Mushtaq Memon, Regional Coordinator, Resource Efficiency, UNEP-ROAP