18 November 2011: Participants in the Tokyo Green Industry Conference concluded that renewed international commitment to the concepts of “green economy” and “green industry” should be one of the sector’s main contributions of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).

The conference, which was held from 16-18 November 2011, in Tokyo, Japan, was organized by the Government of Japan and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). It offered a platform to: discuss policy options and business strategies for realizing a green industry in developing and emerging economies; foster the transfer and implementation of best available technologies for green industry development; and exchange experiences on green industry programmes and initiatives involving the public and private sectors, in order to position green industry as the sector strategy for green growth and green economy.

Participants urged UNIDO and its partners to propose green industry actions with policy goals and specific activities, recognizing the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders. Other messages emphasized at the conference include the need for: business initiatives to make products and operations “greener”; and government leadership, including on political will.

Speaking at the conference, UNIDO Director-General Kandeh Yumkella explained the green industry as a two-pronged approach consisting of the greening of existing industry and the creation of green industries. [Conference Website] [UNIDO News Release]