4 October 2010: The Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific (MCED 6) convened in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 27 September-2 October 2010. During the meeting, Kiribati’s Minister for Finance and Economic Development, Natan Teewe, emphasized the importance of green growth for the economies of the Pacific region.

On behalf of Pacific Island countries at MCED-6, Minister Teewe stated he hoped and expected “that the Green Growth path will generate quality economic growth in our vulnerable economies and fragile islands.”

According to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), green growth activities are already evident in the Pacific with initiatives to develop renewable energies, organic farming and eco-tourism underway. Next steps for the Pacific include a feasibility analysis of the green growth approach and development of a road map for implementation.

Ministers have endorsed the establishment of a Pacific Green Growth Partnership to coordinate assistance from regional, sub-regional and international organizations in the Pacific. A key outcome of the MCED-6 meeting was the endorsement of the Astana Declaration and regional implementation plan and the Green Bridge Initiative to encourage cooperation between the Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. [UN ESCAP Pacific Press Release] [UN ESCAP Press release]