Pathways to Transformative Change in the Asia Pacific Region Mark - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Pathways to Transformative Change in the Asia Pacific Region

Mark Elder, Magnus Bengtsson, Lewis Akenji, Simon Olsen

April 27, 2015 Asia Pacific Regional Environmental Information Network (REIN) Conference, Bangkok, Thailand

1

Overarching Messages

Environment is the foundation for development and human well-being.

Clean air, water, land, ecosystem services Environmental considerations and well being should be at the core of development planning Value of global ecosystem services: 125 trillion USD/ year

Conventional economic development is starting to undermine itself and human well-being

Climate change, air pollution, water-energy-food nexus Shortage of water for coal fired power plants (& other uses) in some areas Value of global ecosystem services lost: 4.3~ 25.2 trillion USD/year Greater efficiency = > economic growth creates fewer jobs (jobless recovery)

Development has transgressed planetary boundaries

Need to return to safe operating space for human life on earth.

GDP: not a good measure of development or human well-being

Example: GDP counts hospital costs, but not clean air Leads to mis-prioritization and allocation of resources

2

PATHWAYS TO TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE

• Consider how to incorporate into GEO6

3

Financing and Budgeting for Development

Large amounts of money are already planned to be spent

• n development (infrastructure, transport, etc.)

Investment should be shifted in a more sustainable direction (infrastructure, energy, transport, etc.) The private sector is encouraged to do this voluntarily

Self interest: unsustainable practices undermine long term profits

Government should lead with economic incentives & regulations. Government finance & budgets: taxes and spending

Shift taxes from “goods” (e.g. labor) to “bads” (e.g. pollution) Green procurement and spending Eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels & unsustainable activities

Innovative financing, many others

4

• SDG investment would be about 2.5 or 3 % of Global GDP (ppp)
• SDG investment could be easily funded by a small increase in taxes or

borrowing, or private sector investment in directly profitable areas

• SDGs may contribute much more to security than military spending.
• Investments generate jobs, profits, improve livelihoods, well-being

Overall Economic Perspective

Additional investments for SDGs (beyond already planned) 2 or 3 trillion USD World GDP (2014) – purchasing power parity 107.5 trillion USD World GDP (2014) – official exchange rates 78.22 trillion USD Existing global financial assets 273 trillion USD

Annual world savings (46% from developing countries) 17 trillion USD World taxes as % of GDP (2014) 28.4% World military spending (2014) (2.3% world GDP) 1.8 trillion USD World unemployment (2014) 8.3 % Marine and coastal ecosystem services value (market: 3 trillion; non-market: 21 trillion) 24 trillion USD

Global ecosystem services value 125 trillion USD

5

Sustainable Consumption & Production

Sustainable Consumption

Change consumer choices (education, eco-labels) Remove less sustainable

• ptions (choice editing)

Promote a sharing economy and public services that reduce need for private ownership Restrict easy consumer loans and advertising for unsustainable consumption

Sustainable Production

Regulation

Product standards

Resource efficiency Cleaner Production

Reduced waste = > reduced costs Waste as a resource New products

6

New Business Opportunities

Need for an Integrated Approach

Separate management of areas will be ineffective, and cause problems for other areas. Example: Water-energy-food nexus

Energy is needed for water, and water is needed to produce energy (including fossil fuels). Water & energy needed for food. World water stress (shortages, pollution) In some areas, there may be a shortage of water for electricity and food production. Other important water uses: drinking, household use, industry

Major obstacles are institutional

Ministries and departments need to cooperate (or be reorganized, or need more high level political attention) Researchers also need an integrated approach

SDGs can help to promote an integrated approach

7

Pathways for Specific Areas

Specific I ssue Areas

Enhance resilience Decarbonize economies Preserve ecosystem services and biodiversity Prevent & control air, water, soil pollution Sound management of chemicals & waste

Science & Education

Strengthen scientific knowledge of environmental issues

Links between environmental issues & development

Improve communication of scientific knowledge to policymakers and the public Education for Sustainable Development

8

9

Common existing mandates of environmental authorities

Implement & enforce existing laws, regulations, policies, standards Environmental monitoring, data collection Environmental impact assessment (EIA) of projects Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of policies Public awareness, outreach, advocacy, publication of environmental information Promote scientific research on the environment Capacity-building, environmental education (formal & informal) Networking and partnerships with civil society Coordination of environment-related issues within the government International environmental cooperation (MEAs, multilateral, bilateral, etc.)

Strengthen Environmental Governance & Institutions

All countries already have environmental laws & regulations, signed multilateral environment agreements. Enforcement & implementation of existing environmental regulations & policies should be strengthened. Contents of existing policies and regulations should be strengthened

Governance & Institutions: Capacity Building

Many kinds of capacity Many stakeholders Strengthen capacity of environment ministries

Strengthen mandate, include coordination More funding, human resources Delivery mechanisms at sub-national levels

More inclusive, participatory, multistakeholder processes Access to information, transparency, accountability

10

Governance & Institutions: Mainstreaming Environment into Other Policy Areas

This is not just about asking other ministries to consider the health of the environment.

Environment is the foundation of development and human well being

Environmental problems will increasingly make it difficult for other ministries to implement their own mandates

Example: water-energy-food nexus

Environment ministries should take the lead

But cannot do by themselves Need additional capacity (or mandate) to do so

11

Already some progress and good examples

Some countries in the region already have some integrative sustainable concepts.

Sound Material Cycle Society, Ecological Civilization, Green Development, Green Growth, 3Rs, Sufficiency Economy, Gross National Happiness

Some countries already have made some progress on solutions

12

But transformation needs to be accelerated

Green Jobs for the Environment

Environmental protection can provide jobs

Strengthen environment ministries & authorities Environmental monitoring and enforcement Environmental information Environmental impact assessment Community forest management

Funded by government spending (tax on pollution, etc.) Private companies need workers for sustainability issues Circular economy – large need for labor

Examples: recycling, reusing

Renewable energy Large investment in SDGs can expand green jobs Some advantages of environmental jobs

Jobs for both skilled and unskilled workers Difficult to send to lower cost countries

13

Possible Implications for GEO6

Try to include costs and benefits if possible (broadly)

Of environmental problems and challenges Of potential solutions & pathways

Try to highlight linkages between issue areas

Integrated approaches?

Try to highlight linkages to other aspects of development Social and economic impacts Discuss institutional arrangements in issue areas?

Governance? Institutional barriers to progress?

14

There is increasing scientific literature on these issues. Need to enhance the appeal of GEO6 beyond the environmental community.

15

Thank You !

www.iges.or.jp