Green entrepreneur, environmentalist and social reformer Albert Oung (fourth from right) join other guests for a group photo at Grace Christian School in Pattaya of Thailand on Oct 24, 2022. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
HONG KONG – The Asia-Pacific region needs a holistic approach to promote green development, with integrated solutions to address environmental, social and economic problems, according to a prominent green entrepreneur.
“The Asia-Pacific Green Deal is actually about the movement where we are using a kind of holistic approach to provide totally integrated solutions pertaining to environment, social, and economic problems,” said Albert Oung, who chairs the Green Economy Task Force of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Sustainable Business Network.
Oung said the green deal integrates the concept of environmental, social and corporate governance with the 17 sustainable development goals set by the UN.
The task force works to identify, disseminate and promote the uptake of responsible and sustainable practices, and prepare check-lists and tools for small and medium-sized enterprises on “green” business practices. It also supports the reduction of waste and carbon footprint of businesses.
Nowadays, we are not lacking of technology or solution. What we need to do is to find the right application with a higher purpose.
Albert Oung, Green entrepreneur
In March 2021, the task force proposed the Asia-Pacific Green Deal – Green Paper. And in August this year, the UNESCAP Sustainable Business Network also launched the Asia-Pacific Green Deal for Business, to encourage companies to go greener.
To Oung, a green entrepreneur, environmentalist and social reformer, being green is more than just about environmental friendliness. “It is about doing good things, goodness and kindness,” he said, noting that it is a kind of moral ethics and social justice that can be applied not only to environmental but also economic issues.
The Asia-Pacific Green Deal applies the principles of traditional Asian values, focusing on livelihood instead of just on economic development, Oung said.
Oung said sustainability can be equal to profitability as businesses, from their projects or investment, can create benefits not only for themselves but also for the world.
“We are looking for that kind of breakthrough, a commercially and socially viable solution that can resolve a lot of problems,” said Oung, adding that there is a need to move away from the kind of economic development that has created unfair practices in the past.
Since green development is about doing the right thing, Oung said there are no priorities, whether in climate change, food supply, or energy security, because everything is combined and should be dealt with at the same time.
“Nowadays, we are not lacking of technology or solution. What we need to do is to find the right application with a higher purpose,” said Oung. “When we have the purpose, we can work out the solution effectively.”
With the Asia-Pacific Green Deal, Oung said the higher purpose is to bring real hope and sustainable development to improve people’s livelihoods and their economies in the region through green transformation.
Oung said countries in the Asia-Pacific region have made a lot of progress towards green development over the past 20-30 years.
China is one of the countries in the region that has showcased many successful business models as it is making collective progress in resolving poverty while addressing environmental issues, he said.
In addition, Oung said countries such as China, South Korea, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia are also working towards the same direction, and he believes there will be more effective schemes launched by regional countries.
Albert Oung, who chairs the Green Economy Task Force of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Sustainable Business Network, shares his vision of the Asia-Pacific Green Deal.
(ROBERT HOPE-JONES / CHINA DAILY)
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a challenge for regional countries’ green transformation, it also gave a green reset mode for Asia-Pacific nations as they could see things from a different perspective, Oung said.
Asia and the Pacific now expect to achieve the 17 SDGs by 2065, 35 years behind the original schedule, the UNESCAP said in a March report, noting that the sole focus on post-pandemic economic recovery is likely to hinder progress towards achieving the goals.
“If you have a positive mindset, you think (of what) is the right thing to do, (and) don’t ask for returns. There are gains and losses but the point is that if the things are needed to be addressed, we go and find a solution,” Oung said, noting the Asia-Pacific Green Deal provides a pathway to achieve the UN SDGs.
He said it is important for regional countries to find their own solutions for green transformation based on their own situation, and to avoid pursuing industrialization or urbanization blindly.
Albert Oung is with Cambodian Minister of Environment Say Samal (right) in Phnom Penh on Oct 21, 2022. Their discussion covers ASEAN Green Deal and the Green Economic Zone. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
For example, in Myanmar, where 70 percent of the population are farmers, Oung said, rather than industrialization, what is needed more is to upgrade the livelihood in the agricultural sector. Therefore, a plan that considers all the contingencies is important to promote healthy economic development and attract investors who look for sustainable and trustworthy projects.
Referring to the concept of a green economic zone, which provides integrated solutions, Oung said resources in an agricultural area can be evaluated and utilized to promote economic development by adopting new technologies and market mechanisms such as an agriculture exchange for trading crops.
Oung met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in September and said he was glad that the leader promised to create the first Cambodia green economic zone.
Oung said his task force also received calls from other countries in Southeast Asia to help them transform their industrial zones and economic zones into green economic zones.
Noting that China has embraced green economic growth with concepts like the green Belt and Road Initiative, Oung said the approach is appropriate and that he hopes China and other regional countries can support the Asia-Pacific Green Deal, which also promotes international collaboration between different hubs.
Contact the writer at kelly@chinadailyapac.com