28 June 2009: The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) convened the first “training of trainers” seminar on low carbon and green-growth development for policy makers, from 22-27 June 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Masakazu Ichimura, Chief of the Environment and Development Policy Section of the Environment and Development Division, UNESCAP, noted the training aimed to assist the countries to “shift to a low-carbon development path.” The seminar introduced a range of policy tools developed by the UNESCAP Green Growth Capacity Development Team, with the Regional Helpdesk on Sustainable Consumption and Production for Asia and the Pacific, and the China Standard Certification Centre, and with support from Korea International Cooperation Agency.
The seminar included discussion on sustainable infrastructure, economically efficient, environmentally sustainable systems that provide citizens with safe and reliable access to shelter, energy, transportation, water, proper sanitation and disposal of wastes, as well as “green tax” and budget reform, a basket of fiscal policy tools with the potential to raise revenue, foster green growth, improve traffic congestion and road safety, as well as lessen the effects of climate change, without jeopardizing the poor’s long-term economic growth and livelihoods.[UNESCAP Press Release]