20 May 2015
UNEP Calls for Resource-Efficient Growth in Asia-Pacific
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During the First Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report detailing patterns of resource use in the Asia-Pacific region.

The report, titled 'Indicators for a Resource Efficient and Green Asia and the Pacific,' finds that wasteful use of resources is detrimental the region's future growth, but that countries in the region have great potential for low-carbon and resource-efficient growth.

UNEP19 May 2015: During the First Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report detailing patterns of resource use in the Asia-Pacific region. The report, titled ‘Indicators for a Resource Efficient and Green Asia and the Pacific,’ finds that wasteful use of resources is detrimental the region’s future growth, but that countries in the region have great potential for low-carbon and resource-efficient growth.

Commenting on the report’s findings, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner noted that the material footprint of the region tripled between 1990 and 2010. He argued that “Significant scale-up in investments towards a green economy, coupled with sound regulatory frameworks and the mainstreaming of sustainability in national development planning processes, can ensure Asia Pacific’s impressive growth continues while safeguarding human well-being and natural resources, and reducing the future carbon emissions trajectory.”

The report compiles data to inform decision makers as they evaluate sustainable consumption and production, green economy and resource efficiency policies. After defining indicators for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, material, energy and water use, the report is divided into chapters on: trade dependency; material, energy, water and emissions intensity; use of these resources by sector; consumption-based indicators; resource intensity adjusted for trade; resources and human development; the use of indicators in policymaking; and country profiles.

The report finds that Asia-Pacific use of materials is growing faster than the rest of the world, at 5% annually, with per capita use increasing fourfold between 1970 and 2010. GHG emissions and energy use also increased fourfold over the same period, according to the report. Material use efficiency is lower than the rest of the world, the report finds, as the Asia-Pacific used approximately three kilograms (kg) of materials to produce one dollar of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010, which compares to one kg in the rest of the world. However, improvements in water efficiency are documented in the report, as per capita water use has declined.

The First Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific is taking place from 19-20 May 2015, in Bangkok, Thailand. [UNEP Press Release] [Publication: Indicators for a Resource Efficient and Green Asia and the Pacific] [UNEP Indicators for a Resource Efficient and Green Asia and the Pacific Toolkit Page] [IISD RS Coverage of First Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific]


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