Event:International Conference on GMS 2020

From Wikiprogress.org

Overview

A Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) 2020 Conference titled Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability will be held on 20 – 21 February 2012 in Bangkok. The Conference will benchmark economic growth spanning 2001-2010, its impact on inclusive development, especially gender, ethnic minorities and socially disadvantaged, and its overall effect on the environment. This is to inform GMS economic cooperation program implementers, GMS development partners, civil society particularly research and development community, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) about the significant economic, environmental, and climate change challenges for food, water and energy security in the next decade (2011-2020). The Conference will be co-hosted by the GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE), which comprises representatives from Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, and the Asian Development Bank. The Conference is organized by the GMS Core Environment Program and Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (CEP-BCI), which is supported by the People’s Republic of China’s Poverty Reduction Fund (PRCF), the Governments of Finland and Sweden and the ADB.

Conference outcomes

(i) Benchmark current economic growth and environment situation in the GMS;
(ii) Provide analytical evidence for a prospective economic and environmental outlook for 2012-2022;
(iii) Provide guidance to, and baselines for, GMS CEP-BCI (2012-2016) implementation, monitoring and evaluation; and
(iv) Inform / guide the implementation of the proposed GMS Strategic Framework 2012-2022.

Conference Scope

Conference scope: i) Retrospective look to highlight factors affecting growth and development between 2001-2010, and identify and assess the conditions that drove the decade of economic growth in the GMS;
ii) Assess distributional impact of growth from poverty reduction, and gender and social inclusiveness (indigenous peoples) dimensions in the GMS;
iii) Assess the impact of GMS economic growth in the last decade on the environment, with particular focus on food security, water and energy;
iv) Looking forward, prospectively to 2011-2020, review current investment programs and map out trends of economic growth and development, with focus on food, water and energy security;
v) Identify the growing challenges of climate change and environmental degradation that need to be addressed by the GMS, and identify framework conditions for climate change adaptation in the GMS;
vi) Identify economic and environment development/investment challenges and opportunities for 2011-2020 period targeting GMS economic cooperation program coordinators and working groups, development partners, research and development community, civil society, and private sector; and
vii) Provide recommendations to the GMS development partners, civil society particularly research and development community, private sector, and GMS 2012-2022 Strategic Framework and economic corridor development, CASP II and CEP-BCI 2012-2016 implementers.

Policy Dialogue and Knowledge Product

1. The Conference will be a forum for dialogue on scenarios of impact on natural resources and environment. Given the development trajectory that is being forecast for GMS countries in the next decade and beyond, is there a Plan B if food, water and energy security is negatively impacted? This conference, its outcomes and outputs will also provide a platform to continue engaging the GMS countries in a constructive dialogue on these important issues.
2. The papers and presentations will be published in the Conference Proceedings to be disseminated in the GMS and beyond

Further conference details

• International Conference on GMS 2020: Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability

See also

• Thailand