The seminar`s objectives were to create awareness and foster "green industry" development in the ASEAN region by expanding and scaling-up the application of resource efficient and cleaner production methods, practices, technologies and policies, the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat said here Wednesday.
The discussions at the seminar demonstrated how enterprises and governments in Southeast Asia have benefited from the application of resource efficient and cleaner production practices and technologies.
Participants agreed that the Green Industry Initiative would contribute towards ASEAN regional economic co-operation and integration.
They said it was not only important to build upon existing resource efficient and cleaner production capacities, but also to improve the policy environment in this respect, support novel approaches, diversify available applications, and enhance such practices, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
Another key element highlighted at the seminar is creation of synergies between development priorities of the ASEAN Community and the implementation of resource efficient and cleaner production capacities, practices and technologies.
The seminar featured presentations by representatives from National Cleaner Production Centres in the ASEAN region.
The seminar, titled "Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) in ASEAN Member States", is part of UNIDO`s regional programme "Expansion and scaling-up of the application of resource efficient and cleaner production in the ASEAN Region" funded by the Government of Austria.
ASEAN Member States include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Reflecting on the experiences shared by some of the ASEAN Member States during the conference, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community, S. Pushpanathan, viewed that "with the right regulatory and incentive framework and a network of national cleaner production centres, ASEAN could take a step forward in merging the goals of productivity, innovation, climate change and environmental degradation to make ASEAN a more environment friendly and competitive region".
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Editor: AA Ariwibowo
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
