MOE-UNESCAP to hold the ‘8^th Policy Consultation Forum of the Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth’ 

The Ministry of Environment (MOE) and UNESCAP holds the ‘8^th Policy Consultation Forum of the Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth (SI Policy Forum)’ at the Suites Hotel, Gyeongju, Korea from July 3 to July 5.

The SI Policy Forum was adopted at the 5^th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in 2005 as Korea proposed to disseminate green growth throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The SI network is mainly composed of 1) policy forum, 2) capacity building, 3) pilot project, and 4) network building among Asia-Pacific countries.

Under the theme of ‘biodiversity for sustainable development,’ environmental officials from 19 countries including Korea, Japan and Vietnam and representatives from international organizations such as UNESCAP, UNEP and IUCN as well as academia and industry will get together at the forum.

On the first day, the Minister Yoon, Seong-kyu of Environment will deliver an opening address shedding a light on the status of rapidly-declining biodiversity due to climate change and overexploitation and underscoring the importance of international cooperation for biodiversity conservation.

In addition, the Minister will call for participants’ support for the UNCBD/COP 12 and present past achievements and future development of SI network.

For two days from July 3 to 4, the participants will discuss implementation strategies for biodiversity through the three sessions of biodiversity for sustainable development, sustainable use of biodiversity and eco-tourism.

Renowned environmental experts from home and abroad and representatives from UNEP, UNESCAP and IUCN will give in-depth presentation.

At the afternoon session of the 4th, the 5^th Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth and the 1^st Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth Award ceremony (SINGG Award) will be held. SINGG Award was established to raise participation in SI pilot projects and to provide incentive to the member countries with high contribution.

On the 5th, the participants will go on a field trip in Gyeongju to see and feel the remains of a thousand-long history of Shilla Dynasty.

An official from MOE said that the forum is highly meaningful in that the participants will have an opportunity to exchange thoughts on biodiversity for sustainable development prior to UNCBD/COP 12 to be held in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do in 2014. He also added that the forum will serve as a platform to rearrange institutions for Asia-Pacific developing countries with rich biodiversity and enhance regional cooperation.