When: 27 April 2021 I Time: 16:00-18:30 (Manila Time) I Platform: WEBEX I WATCH HERE
Since 1997, the Asia Pacific Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP), has played an important role in fostering multi-stakeholder dialogue and partnerships to enhance and strengthen cooperation on sustainable consumption and production (SCP). In the past 23 years, 14 Regional Roundtables on SCP have been convened, and the 15th APRSCP: “Green Recovery and Beyond in Asia Pacific through SCP,” hosted by the Philippines, will be held on April 20 – May 11, 2021 through a series of webisode roundtable discussions.
The SWITCH-Asia Programme is co-hosting with the APRSCP the 15th APRSCP Webisode II focused on the National Action Plans on SCP, Drivers for Green Recovery, Collaborations and synergies for a more impactful #WeSwitch on 27 April 2021 at 16:00 (Manila Time). This Webisode is part of the series of “Internal thematic cluster consultative and brainstorming meetings” inscribed in the SWITCH-Asia programme as part of activities for 2021-mid- 2022 and through joint partnerships with partner countries and key organisations in the region.
Mainstreaming of SCP in regional and national policies has gained momentum in the Asian Region in the past years as countries reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable development in line with the global frameworks for cooperation, particularly their contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular SDG12 and other related SDGs.
A number of countries in the region have already elaborated their national action plans on SCP that identified needs and priorities of government and stakeholders, and formulated recommendations towards a shared agenda in terms of delivering on SDG12 and the SCP related targets under other SDGs and other SCP mandates. For implementation and monitoring of these national action plans, much support is still needed in advancing data availability, science, technology and innovation, financing, and capacity development.
Objective
To strengthen cooperation and partnerships in support to countries in formulating and implementing their SCP policies and to initiate a dialogue platform for cross-border exchange of experiences and larger impact to move forward together and emerge stronger towards green recovery post-CoVID-19 pandemic.
Output
- Increased understanding of Asian countries’ diversity and shared priorities in the development and implementation of SCP policies;
- Exchanging experiences among Asian and European experts on how SCP policy-making efforts can support green recovery;
- Informing participants of countries’ learning experiences and achievements and challenges in developing and implementing NAP/Roadmaps on SCP;
- Analyse potential cooperation opportunities between SWITCH-Asia and other concerned institutions and participants.
Speakers
Mr. Mario Ronconi, Head of Unit, for South and South-East Asia, Directorate General for International Partnerships, European Commission
Mario Ronconi is the Head of Unit of South Asia – South East Asia in the Asia-Pacific-ME Dir in DG INTPA. From 2015 to 2019, he served as Head of Cooperation and Head of Unit in the EU Delegation to Bangladesh, responsible for bilateral development in the second largest MIP in Asia Region 2014-2020, with an overall portfolio of approximately 150 projects. In the latest two years, Mr Ronconi has been Head of “Resilience and Fragility” Unit in the Directorate People and Peace of DG DEVCO (European Commission), implementing the policy orientations for cooperation with countries in situation of fragility or crisis and guidance and tools to manage effectively and coherently major crisis situations, notably in terms of conflict prevention, resilience and peace building approaches.
Mr. Alessandro Villa, Deputy-Head of Unit, for Middle East and Central Asia, Directorate General for International Partnerships, European Commission
Alessandro Villa works at the European Commission, Directorate General for International Partnership (INTPA) in Brussels as Deputy Head of Unit for Middle East and Central Asia. Previously he worked as Deputy Head of Unit for relations with International Organizations and other donors, Deputy Head of Delegation (PermRep) at the EU Delegation to the UN in Rome. Before that he worked within the – Crisis Platform of the EC as planner for crisis responses and at the EC Delegations to Uganda and Rwanda.
Dr. Dinh Van Chau, Deputy Director General of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam
Dr. Dinh Van Chau is Deputy Director General of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam (MOIT). He was awarded Doctor of Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology. With 25 years of experience in research and higher education in the fields of chemical engineering, nano technology, energy efficiency and sustainable development, his contribution to the MOIT’s sustainable development, sustainable consumption and production is significant. Regards to SCP, he has been facilitating the implementation of the National Action Plan on sustainable consumption and production for period 2021 – 2030, focusing on circular economy application and technical guidelines on SCP for several some industrial sectors, development of sustainable supply chain.
Mr. Noer Adi Wardojo, Head of Center for Standards, Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia
Mr. Noer Adi Wardojo is the President of the APRSCP Board of Trustees. He is the Head of Center for Standards, Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia and the Co-leader of 10 Year Framework (10YFP) Consumer Information Program of the Indonesian Cleaner Production National Center (PPBN). In the Ministry, he also leads the promotion of SCP in the ASEAN and the Consumer Information Programme of the 10YFP on SCP. He actively engages in a number of organizations: National Accreditation Committee, Indonesian Standards Body (BSN), Association of Technology Auditors of Indonesia, Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP), and Indonesia National Forum on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). He is an expert in ISO 14001, Environmental Management Systems, ISO 14064, and ISO 14065 for Greenhouse Gas Management. He is also a member of Indonesian Team for ASEAN, APEC, WTO, Trade and Environment, Trade in Services, UNEP, UNCSD, UNFCCC COP, and Rio+20. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Engineering Physics in Indonesia and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Management and Policy from USA.
H.E. Mercedita Sombilla, Undersecretary of the Regional Development Group of the National Economic and Development Authority
H.E. Mercedita Sombilla is currently the Undersecretary of the Regional Development Group of the National Economic and Development Authority or more commonly known as NEDA. After she received her PhD in Agricultural Economics at the University of Minnesota U.S.A, she became affiliated with various international research organizations including the International Food Policy Research Institute, the International Rice Research Institute, and the Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Studies in Agriculture. She also served as a consultant to various development partners like the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank (WB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and to various governments including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. She rejoined NEDA in 2012 as Director of the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Staff. Her transfer to the Regional Development Group made her work in agriculture and rural development doubly meaningful especially with the country’s goal of promoting more balanced growth across regions. USec Sombilla’s work experience is an illustration of a complete cycle of policy research where the development reforms that are pushed are based on results of policy studies.
Dr. Janez Potočnik, Chairman of The Forum for the Future of Agriculture and Think Forest Forum
Dr. Janez Potočnik graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (Ph.D. degree 1993). He was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science by London Imperial College and by Ghent University in 2008 and 2009 respectively, and Doctor of Science in Economics and Business Administration by Finland Aalto University in 2016. He was appointed Head of Negotiating Team for Accession of Slovenia to the EU (1998). He was also Director of Government Office for European Affairs (2000), Minister Councillor at the Office of the Prime Minister (2001) and Minister responsible for European Affairs (2002). In 2004 he joined the European Commission, first as "shadow” Commissioner for Enlargement and then as Commissioner responsible for Science and Research. In 2010 Dr Potočnik became Commissioner for Environment, his term ended in November 2014, after which he was appointed as a member and Co-Chair of International Resource Panel hosted by United Nations Environment Programme. In the same month he was also appointed as a Chairman of The Forum for the Future of Agriculture and the RISE Foundation and a Member of the European Policy Centre's Advisory Council. In 2019 he is appointed as a Chair of Think Forest Forum.
Dr. Vong Sok, Head of the Environment Division, Assistant Director of the Sustainable Development Directorate, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department, ASEAN Secretariat
Dr. Vong Sok is currently the Head of the Environment Division, Assistant Director of the Sustainable Development Directorate, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department, ASEAN Secretariat. He is a passionate and dedicated Environmental Professional, with over 20 years’ global environmental compliance and governance experience, including in-depth knowledge of environmental development, strategic planning, relationship building, operations control and implementing environmental management systems. He graduated with Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry from Cambodia and Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management from Belgium. He also completed his PhD research on impact assessment and climate change at the University of Western Australia in 2012. Professionally, he works on environmental assessment, planning and management in Southeast Asia, intensively with government agencies, international organisations, development partners and communities at grass-root level. This provided him with specific assets to lead and coordinate the strategic level; and deliver substantive impacts and contributions to this Region.
Mr. Hugo Maria Schally, Head of Unit for Multilateral environmental cooperation in the Directorate for Global Sustainable Development in DG Environment of the European Commission
Mr. Hugo Maria Schally is Head of Unit for Multilateral environmental cooperation in the Directorate for Global Sustainable Development in DG Environment of the European Commission. He is coordinating and developing the ECs work in and collaboration with international environmental organisations and multilateral environmental agreements and the links between trade and environment. He is also in charge of EU policies and legislation regarding global deforestation and forest degradation, international trade in wildlife and the access to and sharing of the benefits derived from the utilisation of genetic resources.
Mr. Charles Arden-Clarke, Head of the Secretariat of the One Planet Network
Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, Chairman of the Thai SCP Network, President of Thai Environment Institute and the Secretary-General of the Thailand Business Council for Sustainable Development
Dr. Wijarn Simachaya is the Chairman of the Thai SCP Network. He is the current President of Thai Environment Institute and the Secretary-General of the Thailand Business Council for Sustainable Development. He served in several high-ranking positions in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), including Inspector-General and Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Director-General of the Pollution Control Department for two times and Secretary-General of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning. He was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources until his retirement on 30 September 2019. He currently works with various government agencies, international organizations, public-private agencies, civil societies and communities on the ground to develop environmental management models for the country and moving toward sustainable development.
Mr. Zafar Makhmudov, Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC)
Mr. Zafar Makhmudov is the Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC). His main areas of professional expertise and activities are related to the mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation into national development plans and strategies. Prior to joining CAREC, he served as the Head of the Project Implementation Unit at the Committee for Environment Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, where he coordinated projects on natural resource management. Mr. Zafar also served as the Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Committee on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement of 2030. As a member of the Board of the Climate Investment Funds and Co-chair of the Pilot Program Committee for Climate Resilience, he has advanced experience in managing and preparing: National Adaptation Plans; a National Adaptation Strategy for Climate Change; and National Environmental Plan. He also has extensive experience in conducting negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other climate related funds.
Mr. Muhammad Irfan Tariq, Director General (Environment & Climate Change) in the Ministry of Climate Change and National Focal Point for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Mr. Muhammad Irfan Tariq joined Government of Pakistan in 1991 and has over twenty years’ experience of working in the public sector in federal and provincial governments mainly on policies, programmes and projects related to environment, climate change and sustainable development. He is is currently the Director General (Environment & Climate Change) in the Ministry of Climate Change and National Focal Point for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He has also been involved in the climate negotiations since the Rio Summit and serving as a Member of the Executive Board of Clean Development Mechanism of UNFCCC. Further, he is serving as Vice-Chair of the Working Group-II of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Dr. Eric Zusman, Senior policy researcher/area leader at the Institute for Global Environmental Studies
Dr. Eric Zusman is a senior policy researcher/area leader at the Institute for Global Environmental Studies in Hayama, Japan. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mandarin Chinese from Rutgers University, a dual Master’s Degree in public policy and Asian studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. For much of the past two decades he has conducted research on environmental issues in Asia. This has included working with China’s Yellow River Conservancy Commission, the Chinese Research Academy on Environmental Science, Woodrow Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum as well as Taiwan’s Academia Sinica. He has published books and articles on water scarcity, air pollution regulation, environmental law, multilevel governance, sustainability transitions, low carbon development and the Sustainable Development Goals. He is currently serving as a lead author for the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Ms. Nareerat Panmanee, Director of Strategy and Planning Division, ONEP, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Thailand
Ms. Nareerat Panmanee, Director of Strategy and Planning Division, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Thailand. Her work experience includes localizing the Environmental Quality Management Plan to action at regional, provincial, and local levels, implementing an action plan for environmental quality management at provincial level, driving Sustainable Development Goals focusing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, and drafting the law on biodiversity. Ms. Panmanee holds a Master of Engineering in Environmental Engineering in Kasetsart University Thailand and a Master of Science in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds in the UK. She received her Bachelor of Science (Public Health), Mahidol University, Thailand.
