[2018] Expert Group Meeting on Green Economy for SDGs: Nations Implementation of Low Carbon Development

Description

The Green Economy may serve as a means for achieving sustainable development. Since its adoption in 2008 by the Green Economy Initiative, Green Economy has become a strategic priority for many governments and international organizations—owing to improved human well-being and social inclusiveness; significant reduction of climate change impacts and other environmental risks; and consideration of ecological scarcities. Thus, Green Economy was recognized as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development and poverty eradication in the outcome document of Rio+20.

In 2015, the Paris Agreement celebrated a historical achievement by providing a platform to address climate change through the-realization of an inclusive Green Economy. To achieve the objectives of the agreement, there by fulfilling the SDGs, adequate policy measures must be placed for low carbon development pathways while promoting investments, developing low carbon technologies, and securing sufficient financial resources. In such inclusive green economy, growth in income and employment is driven by investments in both public and private sectors paving the way to reduction in GHG emissions and pollution, enhanced energy and resource efficiency, and the prevention of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. These investments must be made based on well-planned financing, policy reforms and the establishment of adequate institutions.

To ensure that no one is left behind, careful consideration should also be given to developing countries to enhance their capacities in implementing inclusive green economy plans. Effective international cooperation is thus vital for developing countries.

Against-this backdrop, the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on Green Economy for Sustainable Development is being organized by UNOSD, Coalition for Our Common Future (COCF), Center for Climate and Sustainable Development Law and Policy (CSDLAP), Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea, and Jeju Self-governing Province. This EGM is designed to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experience regarding the relationships between Green Economy and Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting will showcase strong examples of how and why the promotion of low carbon development is a successful policy measure in realizing SDGs.

Programme

Concept Note

Formal Opening

Opening Remarks

Mr. Jong-Soo Yoon (Head of Office, UNOSD)

Welcoming Remarks

Mr. Sang-Hyup Kim (Chairman, Coalition for Our Common Future/ Visiting Professor, KAIST)

Congratulatory Remarks

Mr. Suk-Woo Kim (Chairman, Seoul International Law Academy/ Former Vice Minister, Unification, Korea)

Keynote Remarks

Mr. Hee-Ryong Won (Governor, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province)

Day 1 (March 13, 2018)

Session 1: Green Economy as a Pathway to Achieve SDGs

Moderator: Sang-Hyup Kim (Chairman, Coalition for Our Common Future Visiting/ Professor, KAIST)

Panelists:

• "Cooperation among Asian and European Countries on SDGs" - Grazyna Pulawska (Project Manager, Asia-Europe Foundation)
• "Low Carbon Economy as a Way of Achieving SDGs" - Suh-Yong Chung (Professor, Korea University / Director, Center for Climate Sustainable Development, Law and Policy)
• "Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Diversification" - Clovis Freire Junior (Senior Sustainable Development Officer, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs)

Session 2: Planning Low Carbon Development

Moderator: Clovis Freire Junior (Senior Sustainable Development Officer, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs)

Panelists:

• "Decarbonization of the Economy of Northeast Asia Region: lessons learnt from DDPP project" - George Safonov (Director, National Research University - Higher School of Economics)
• "Technological Change, Low CarbonDevelopment and the SDGs, a Long-term View" - Bastiaan van Ruijven (Senior Research Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)
• "France’s Initiatives to Support Low Carbon Development" - David Peneau (Political Counsellor, Embassy of France in Korea)

Session 3: Financing for Low Carbon Development

Moderator: Grazyna Pulawska, Project Manager, Asia-Europe Foundation

Panelists:

• "Climate Finance Landscape and Implications for SDGs" - Dario Abramskiehn (Analyst, Climate Policy Initiative)
• "Review and Implications on Climate Finance for a New Climate Regime" - Jin-Young Moon (Research Fellow, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy)
• "Progress of China National Carbon Market" - Xiaolu Zhao (Project Manager, Environment Defense Fund)

Day 2 (March 14, 2018)

Session 4: International Experiences in the Implementation of Low Carbon Development

Moderator: Suh-Yong Chung (Professor, Korea University Director, Center for Climate Sustainable Development, Law and Policy)

Panelists:

• "Green Climate Fund’s Private Sector Clean Energy Initiatives" - Jiwoo Choi (Head, Financial Institutions and Structured Finance, GCF)
• "The Green Growth Partnership Model" - Lau Øfjord Blaxekjær (Program Coordinator, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies)
• "Korea’s Experience for Promoting Low Carbon Development in Developing Countries" - Do Hyun Park (Climate Change Specialist, KOICA)
• "Sustaining Fisheries and Mariculture for A Blue Economies in YSLME" - Yinfeng Guo (Chief Technical Adviser and Manager, YSLME)
• "Climate Information for Sustainable Development under the Climate Change" - Jin Ho Yoo (Head, Climate Prediction Department, APEC Climate Center)

Session 5: National Experiences in the Implementation of Low Carbon Development 1

Moderator: Eunhae Jeong (Senior Development Management Expert, UNOSD)

Panelists:

• "Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in South Korea: Energy Technology Perspectives" - Yongsung Cho (Professor, Korea University)
• "NDC Indonesia and its Implementation Strategy" - Yulia Suryanti (Deputy Director, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia)
• "The Implementation of GHG Mitigation Policies and Actions in Vietnam" - Nguyen Van Minh (Deputy Head, Division of GHG Emission Mitigation and Ozone Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam)
• "Low Carbon Rural Development in India" - Richie Ahuja (Regional Director, Environmental Defense Fund)

Session 6: National Experiences in the Implementation of Low Carbon Development 2

Moderator: Eunhae Jeong (Senior Development Management Expert, UNOSD)

Panelists:

• "Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradiacation" - Xin Zhou (Research leader, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies)
• "Sub-national Implementation for Low Carbon Development: A case of Jeju – New Future of Jeju! CFI 2030" - Hyun Min Kim (Director General, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province)
• "Collaborative approaches to Green Economy of Industrial Sector: Eco- Industrial Park case" - Mi Hoon Jeong (Project Manager, ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center)

Day 3 (March 15, 2018)

Session 7 and Conclusion: Way forward - Sharing Best Practices of Green Economy for SDGs

Moderator: Jong-Soo Yoon (Head of Office, United Nations Office for Sustainable Development)

Documentation

Information Note

Informatio Note (Returning home)

Field Trip Information

List of Participants

Pictures

You can find meeting pictures here.