Opening green windows: Technological opportunities for a low-carbon world in Asia and the Pacific

Green technologies offer transformative solutions to achieve both economic development and climate change mitigation. They offer a viable route for countries in Asia and the Pacific to upgrade their productive capabilities and advance their catching-up process by deploying cleaner production processes and products. By developing green innovations, countries can open ‘green windows of opportunity’ for not only building resilience and climate change mitigation mechanisms but also for spurring economic growth and technological development. These opportunities can particularly support developing countries to “leap” out of the cascade of crises and move forward. However, knowledge generation regarding frontier technologies and technology diffusion is concentrated in some developed countries, especially in the Global North.

This side event of ESCAP 79th session of the Commission, coorganized by UNCTAD, ESCAP and the International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD), presented UNCTAD's Technology and Innovation Report 2023, followed by an interactive discussion between experts covering the recommendations of the report for countries in Asia and the Pacific to move forward in promoting sustainable development. It highlighted good practices by national governments and the international community that gather resources and build the required know-how to support developing countries to take advantage of the green windows of opportunity. The event also discussed successful examples of national and regional initiatives on achieving carbon neutrality, as well as examined the innovative instruments to foster a more collaborative approach for green innovation in the region.

Event format: Hybrid (In person at the Multi-functional Meeting Room A, United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok; Online via the Zoom platform)

Programme

Opening remarks

• Ms. Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of the Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD
• Mr. Sangmin Nam, Director of the Environment and Development Division, ESCAP
• Mr. Suphakit Chareonkul, Deputy Executive Director, Acting Executive Director, ITD 

Presentation

• Technology and Innovation Report 2023 – Mr. Clovis Freire Junior, Team Leader of the Technology and Innovation Report 2023, UNCTAD

Panel discussion

       Moderator:  Mr. Darmp Sukontasap, Board of Directors, ITD

Panelists

• Mr. Laurent Lourdais, First Counsellor, EU Delegation to Thailand
• Mr. Surachai Sathitkunarat, Executive Director, APEC Center for Technology Foresight
• Mr. Theerawat Limpibunterng, President, Siam Denso Manufacturing Co., Ltd.