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Conference
Economic Analysis Division
Kathmandu, Nepal
05 September 2011 to 07 September 2011
Why this Conference?
Mountains are among the most fragile environments in the world. They are also a repository of biodiversity, water, and other ecosystem services. The influence of mountains and their goods and services reaches far beyond their geographical limits, extending to the surrounding lowlands. Mountains are an important source of vital ecosystem services which contribute to sustaining the local, national, regional, and global environment and economy. About half of the world’s population depends on mountains for fresh water, clean energy, irrigation water, minerals, forest products, recreation, and genetic resources. Half of the global biodiversity hotspots and one-third of all protected areas are in the mountains. Thus, mountains have an important role in promotion of green economy by playing an active role in strengthening ecosystem functions and resilience, including sequestering carbon dioxide emitted elsewhere. However, from a mountain perspective key questions are: What are the opportunity costs in providing these ecosystem services to the broader society? How can incentives be provided to mountain people for their active and positive role in enhancing mountain ecosystems?
The concerns of the mountain regions, particularly those of the developing countries, remain non-existent in the current framework of the green economy. In order to raise mountain issues at international discussions, key stakeholders must develop a common voice and strategy. The conference will bring together international, regional and national experts and policy makers to discuss the mountain agenda in the context of the green economy and develop a strategic approach to enhance the prominence of mountain systems at international debates, particularly the forthcoming Rio+20 conference in July 2012, where a green economy approach will be at centre stage.
Although the conference will address issues concerning all mountain systems of the world, its special focus will be on developing countries and particularly on the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region, where the potential for development of low-carbon growth is huge. This region is one of the largest and least studied mountain regions in the world. It is shared between eight countries, and 10 large river systems originate in the region, providing ecosystem services that benefit over one billion people in the downstream areas.
UNEP defines a green economy as one that results in “improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities”. In its simplest expression, a green economy is low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive. In a green economy, growth in income and employment should be driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development of 1992 (also known as the Rio Conference), the development community has focused its efforts on achieving sustainable development, but the economy in general and businesses in particular have continued to follow a ‘business as usual’ path which has led to increased poverty, degradation of natural resources and ecosystems, loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and global warming despite overall growth in gross domestic product (GDP), mainly because of the huge negative externalities that this growth model created. However, the many concurrent crises and market failures of the first decade of the new millennium, particularly the economic recession of 2008?2009 and rising food prices have resulted in widespread disillusionment with the prevailing economic paradigm. On the other hand, increasing evidence points towards an alternative paradigm where increased wealth would not lead to higher environmental risks, ecological degradation, or social disparities.
The green economy approach is an effort to focus sustainable development and poverty reduction efforts on transforming economic activities and economies. Important components of the approach include the use of economic instruments, the creation of an investment-friendly environment, and directing public and private investment towards building natural capital stocks. Green economy could be an overarching goal for both developed and developing countries in making future development more sustainable. While the concern of the industrialized economies is how to reduce environmental risks and keep the economy green, the concern of the developing economies is how growth can be promoted without degrading the natural resource base and with respect for the principles of low-carbon economy. For the mountain regions, particularly those of the developing economies where millions of people live in a fragile environment and depend mainly on natural resources for their living, the challenge is how to sustainably manage the ecosystems, strengthen resilience to climate change and economic pressures, and promote low-carbon based economic growth and social justice.
Sustainable Mountain Development and the Green Economy
A green economy could play a significant role in sustainable development of the mountains. Incentive-based mechanisms such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and market-based mechanisms such as green certification and labelling for mountain niche products, green marketing, bio-prospecting, and ecotourism development create opportunities and challenges for mountain ecosystem services and for mountain people. However, these approaches are still in rudimentary stages and much needs to be achieved before the mountain people can benefit from the opportunities in a significant way. The green economy concept recognizes the value of ecosystems and their services and therefore its promotion provides a good opportunity for accelerating and expanding the benefits to mountain people for the vital ecosystem services they provide to the regional and global environment and economy. But to reap the potential benefits, appropriate policy and institutional mechanisms need to be put in place. Global and national environmental policy efforts, including Rio+20, can help in establishing suitable mechanisms for rewarding mountain communities to ensure a sustained flow of ecosystem services.
While mountains provide vital ecosystem services to the world, many mountain ecosystem services have no defined markets and prices. Their value in the local, national, and global economy and environmental protection is not properly recognized in national policy decisions and resource allocation.
Mountain people are among the poorest in the world, particularly in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region. The major contributing factors to poverty in mountain regions are a fragile environment and the inaccessibility and marginalization of the mountain people.
Conference Structure
The International Conference on Green Economy and Sustainable Mountain Development will be a working conference. The first part will be a two-day workshop in which plenary sessions, panels, and working groups will present and discuss the issues of green economy, sustainable mountain development, the contribution of mountain ecosystem services to the green economy, and emerging opportunities and challenges for mountain goods and services in the context of the green economy paradigm. In the second part of the conference, a broader range of policy makers and experts will discuss and refine the policy-relevant messages developed by the workshop. The conference will conclude with agreement on key policy messages and a road map to promote the mountain agenda in the upcoming Rio+20 conference.
Conference Programme
Participants
The conference will bring together a broad range of stakeholders – government representatives, scientists, private sector, civil society, policy makers and international organisations. Key international organisations such as ADB, FAO, GIZ, the Green Economic Coalition, IFAD, IDRC, IIED, TEEB, the Third World Network, UNEP, UNEP/GRID-Arendal, and the World Bank are potential partners.
The following categories of representation are expected:
Logistics
Visa
For the nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, visa should be obtained at the country itself. Please contact us if you need information/assistance in obtaining the visa. For all other nationals visa can be obtained upon arrival at the airport. Please bring with you two passport-sized photographs and US$25 cash for the visa fee. Gratis Visa is available for SAARC nationals visiting Nepal for the first time in the year 2011. We request you to claim Gratis Visa if it is applicable to you. For further information on visa requirements please visit http://www.immi.gov.np/visa/tourist-visa.
Climate in Kathmandu
September is the end of monsoon season and beginning of autumn. It is usually warm in the day and rains in the evening. The temperature in the month of September ranges from 26oC maximum and 19oC minimum, so please bring light jacket or coat.
Hotel
ICIMOD will make reservations at the Hotel Himalaya for all the participants.
Hotel Himalaya Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 977-1-5523900 Fax: 977-1-5523909 www.himalayahotel.com.np
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