Last update: December 10, 2012

ESCAP, as a regional commission of the UN has been mandated to play a key role in integrating the three pillars of sustainable development. It is also contributing to the development of a post-2015 Development agenda in the post-Rio period. Given these roles, ESCAP convened the Expert Group Meeting on 14-16 November, 2012 at UNCC, Bangkok, with an objective to facilitate an exchange of views between experts from diverse fields to identify the main economic system changes required to integrate the three pillars of sustainable development.

A diverse group from government, government institutions, civil society, academia, including experts from: India, Nepal, Japan, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka and international organizations attended the meeting to discuss the challenges and identify strategies to align growth with sustainable development objectives. The meeting has also exposed national experts to proposals for green growth indicators and modeling frameworks for integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development. Participants discussed the shortcomings of neoclassical economics, social inequality and the implications of the demand for natural resources. The role of fiscal policy as a key determinant of the quality of growth in its economic, social and environmental dimensions, was highlighted. A session on the post-2015 Development Agenda debated the need for transformative change to address the fundamental challenge of growing inequality.

The event was attended by government and other experts including Ms. Laksmi Dhewanthi, Assistant Deputy Minister for Environmental Economic, Ministry of Environment, Indonesia, Mr. Stephen Keen, Professor, University of Western Sydney and Mr. Bernardino M. Vega, Jr., Chairman of the Permanent Committee on Green Investment, KADIN Indonesia, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mr. Shun-ichi Murata, Deputy Executive Secretary, ESCAP moderated a special session discussing the post-2015 Development Agenda. Mr. Masakazu Ichimura Chief, Environment and Development Policy Section, Ms. Hitomi Rankine, Environmental Affairs Officer, Ms. Panupatcharee Kaewprasit, Team Assistant, Environment and Development Policy Section organized the event from EDD, ESCAP.