Friday, January 21, 2011

 Concept Note

ASEAN Secretariat – UNIDO Seminar on Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) in ASEAN Member States

Supported with funding from Government of Austria

24 January 2011

 

A.        Background

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States (AMS) have experienced sustainable economic development over the past two decades, mainly driven by labour-intensive and export-oriented sectors, such as textile and garments, leather and footwear, electric and electronics, chemicals and plastics, home furnishing etc., complemented by sustained growth in tourism and craft sectors and in domestic consumption. The ASEAN Region now has an increasingly mature industrial sector and diversified manufacturing base.

 

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is the realisation of the end goal of economic integration, which is based on a convergence of interests of ASEAN Member States to deepen and broaden economic integration. By 2015, ASEAN will see the realisation of the AEC, a single market and production base, more dynamic and competitive with new mechanisms and measures integrated with the global economy. A strong, dynamic and efficient industry sector will also ensure the sustainable, inclusive and broad-based integration of the ASEAN region both in terms of the economic and social development.

 

In order to ensure sustained development, we need to consider effects on climate change, use of water, energy and other materials and pollution of environment. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) launched in 2008 its Green Industry Initiative, which is aimed at fostering proactive contributions of the industrial sector towards sustainable development. Green Industry is about the industry-contribution to the themes dominating the international agenda - green economy, sustainable consumption and production, green growth and climate action. Twenty one (21) developing countries from Asia agreed on the UNIDO led Manila Declaration on Green Industry, during the 2009 Green Industry Conference hosted by the Government of the Philippines.

 

Green Industry deals with development of the environmental goods and services sector (or green industries) and continuous improvement of environmental performance and resource productivity of existing and new industries in all sectors (or greening of industry). Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) is a practical approach for businesses to merge the goals of productivity, innovation, climate action and environmental stewardship. UNIDO and UNEP have been collaborating since 1994 to promote Cleaner Production and Resource Efficiency globally through a network of National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs) in developing and transition economies (www.unido.org/cp).

 

With funding support from the Government of Switzerland, UNIDO has established since 1998 National Cleaner Production Centres or Programmes in the ASEAN Region in Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR, whilst it is providing preparatory assistance to Indonesia with an expected launch of UNIDO’s full scale project activities in Indonesia in 2011. In parallel, UNEP has been supporting these NCPCs and other partners in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines on thematic projects, including sustainable product innovation, resource efficiency and energy efficiency. The Government of Austria is now providing financial support for preparatory activities for a regional initiative aimed at mainstreaming and up-scaling RECP within ASEAN region.

 

 

B.        Rationale

 

Concerns about environmental degradation due to industrial wastes and emissions and unsustainable patterns of water, energy and land use, are on the rise. ASEAN Governments have started to recognize the need for transition to sustainable industrial development through Green Industry Initiatives, as reflected by the commitment of the major ASEAN developing economies (including Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) to the Manila Green Industry Declaration ([1]). The widespread application of RECP concepts, methods, practices, technologies and policies is crucial for the realization of the Green Industry objectives reflected in the Manila Declaration.

 

 

C.           Purpose

 

The overall purpose of the seminar is to foster green industry development in the ASEAN region by expanding and scaling-up the application of RECP methods, practices, technologies and policies.

 

 

 

D         Objective

 

The objective of the one day seminar is to demonstrate how enterprises and governments in South East Asia have already benefitted from the application of Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) practices and technologies in terms of improved competitiveness and lower greenhouse gas and other emissions to the environment. Practical case study experiences will be presented to highlight specific achievements, while opportunities for scaling-up and mainstreaming RECP in the ASEAN region will be discussed for consideration by ASEAN member states and related stakeholders. UNIDO, UNEP and representatives of the NCPCs will present concepts, methods, applications and policies for RECP and expand on the RECP achievements in the region.

 

 

E.         Expected Outcomes

The seminar aims to build awareness, information exchange and networking, sharing of experiences and knowledge within the ASEAN community to enable scaling-up and expanding the application of Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production methods, practices, technologies and policies.

The seminar proceedings will highlight on:

 

-          Providing a framework for bolstering green industry development, using existing RECP capacities and knowledge for improving transparency and governance fostering national ownership for an enabling policy change conducive to RECP and for improving/diversifying RECP services;

-          The development, trial and discussion of novel approaches for scaling-up RECP in the manufacturing sector;

-          Complimentary approaches to create synergies within the ASEAN community to implement RECP practices and technologies, mainstreaming of RECP concepts and instruments involving supply chain based implementation.

 

The seminar proceedings will demonstrate the collective results of an integrated programme for RECP methods, practices and technologies to contribute towards resource productivity (more efficient use of energy, water and materials) and on environmental performance (lower waste and emissions profile). The seminar will also focus on existing programmes in the region to enable reviewing and drawing lessons from plant-, sector-, supply chain- and regional approaches to scaling-up on RECP in the ASEAN region.




[1]  Manila Green Industry Declaration, 9 September 2009, http://www.unido.org/fileadmin/user_media/UNIDO_Header_Site/Subsites/Green_Industry_Asia_Conference__Maanila_/Manila_declaration_final.pdf.

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