Achieving Sustainable Livelihoods in Asia through Sustainable Consumption and Production
New Delhi, 4 November 2015: New Delhi hosted the launch of an international conference and networking event on the role of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) towards sustainable livelihoods in Asia.
SCP has officially become a global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), following the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in New York on September 25, 2015.
SWITCH-Asia is the largest Programme funded by the European Union to promote SCP in Asia: it works across 16 Asian countries through more than 90 demonstration projects and policy support actions. To date eleven EU-funded SWITCH-Asia projects have been initiated in India that promote sustainable consumption and production practices in line with the agenda of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The three-day event is organised by the European Union’s SWITCH-Asia Programme with the support of India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises.
The SWITCH-Asia conference in Delhi brings together representatives from the European Union, Indian government, international organisations, project practitioners and policy-makers from Asia to illustrate how SCP contributes to poverty alleviation via green growth, livelihood enhancement, gender empowerment, education and skill transfers.
Asia has recorded remarkable achievements in eradicating poverty in recent decades. Nevertheless millions in Asia still live below the poverty line and are exposed of the new threats posed by increasing food insecurity and climate change. A sustainable development model becomes imperative if inclusive economic prosperity and environmental preservation are to be ensured.
Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to India stated, “Sustainable Consumption and Production puts the green economy in the spotlight. Sustainable Consumption and Production reconciles growth with sustainability, showing how both can be achieved at the same time”. “SWITCH-Asia projects”, said Mr. Hesse, “can play a critical role, by supporting micro, small and medium scale businesses and consumers not only to go green but also to increase their economic competitiveness.”
During the event, the Network Facility of the SWITCH-Asia Programme launched its newly published study “Asian SMEs Adopting Sustainable Consumption and Production”. The publication gathers case studies of SMEs in India and other Asian countries that successfully implemented SCP measures after participating in SWITCH-Asia projects. “These showcases prove that SCP can be implemented with simple and cost-effective measures and that SCP is both feasible and profitable for companies with limited resources”, said Dr. Weber, Team Leader of the SWITCH-Asia Network Facility.
SCP plays a role also in addressing climate change issues. “Actions such as those promoted by the SWITCH-Asia Programme not only mitigate climate change but also improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities and in so doing contribute to safeguard a sustainable and climate resilient future in Asia“, said Sander Chan from the German Development Institute DIE & Galvanizing the Groundswell of Climate Action which has been partnering with SWITCH-Asia for the event.
The approaches, resources and solutions offered by SCP as illustrated through the SWITCH-Asia Programme provide India and other Asian countries with new opportunities for employment, skills, cleaner and greener technology that effectively enable a more sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.
“Sustainable consumption and production is an essential ingredient for sustainable development. In Asia, the foundation to implement resource efficiency measures is already in place thanks to SWITCH-Asia. Under the Regional Policy Support Component (RPSC), UNEP has been working with governments, private sector and civil society to build the capacities and bring together the networks to promote efficient production and more responsible consumption. The challenge now is to scale up our work to match the ambition represented by the 2030 sustainable development agenda” said Mr. Kaveh Zahedi, UNEP Regional Director & Representative for Asia and the Pacific.
Since 2007, the European Union’s SWITCH-Asia Programme has been supporting the promotion of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) in Asian developing countries through more than 90 projects the regional policy support component implemented by UNEP and national policy Support Components (PSCs) in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka and a Network Facility among all components, with an overall funding of more than 300 Million EUR for 2007-2020.