Summary of the AsiaPacific Graduates’ Youth Forum on Green Economy - Kathmandu, Nepal, 25-29 September 2012

The ‘Asia Pacific Graduates’ Youth Forum on Green Economy’ Kathmandu, Nepal took place from 25-29 September 2012 with the participation of 40 youths from 15 countries. It was organized by The Small Earth Nepal (SEN), the Consortium for Capacity Building (CCB) at INSTAAR at the University of Colorado, Boulder and the Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN) of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The five-day regional workshop was focused on capacity building for youth leaders from the Asia- Pacific Region who are dedicated to and engaged in sustainability issues. The workshop consisted of capacity building and knowledge exchange sessions, leadership exercises and excursions to nearby environmental projects incorporating principles of green economy for sustainability.

The Workshop was organized with three main objectives:

• To develop the capacity of selected Asia-Pacific Youths on green economy, environmental governance and climate change adaptation;
• To facilitate information and knowledge sharing, networking and advocacy in the Asia-Pacific Region through the establishment of virtual and physical networks of dedicated youths; and
• To improve participation of regional youths in the globally important meeting of UNFCCC COP-18 at Doha

The first day opening session was held at ICIMOD headquarter in the presence of delegates from the Universities, I/NGOs, related Government bodies, forum alumni and other youth icons, including representatives of the event partners. The session chaired by Prof. Suresh Raj Chalise.

Opening the Forum Mr. Dhiraj Pradhananga, President of the Small Earth Nepal (SEN), local host of the event expressed his satisfaction over the progresses made to organise this event as part of the long term partnership between SEN, ICIMOD and the Consortium for Capacity Building (CCB) at the University of Colorado, Boulder aiming at capacity building of young minds in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region and beyond. He appreciated contributions received from all the partners and recognized presence of special guests. He informed that the 5-days long Forum will conclude with an outcome document that is expected to find its way in UNFCCC CoP18, where youth will be send from this Youth Forum.

Highlighting background of the event Mr. Tek Jung Mahat, Project Manager at ICIMOD underscored the need of engaging young people in sustainable development process, making sure diverse needs they have at different level are well addressed and youth are fully motivated to take lead in the development process. He gave an overview of the ICIMOD’s Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative that he started in 2009 as the flagship initiative of the Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN) with funding assistance from the Swiss Agency for Development and cooperation (SDC). Y4SMD network has now more than 4000 subscribers including more than 400 young people from 20 countries who are trained by ICIMOD under this programme and other 1500 who took part virtually in ICIMOD events. This includes representatives from over 35 Asia Pacific countries including significant no. of people coming from the from HKH region - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan and beyond. Over last four years, ICIMOD has organised  (APMN and SERVIR Himalaya) framework more than 15 capacity building events including national, sub-regional, HKH regional, Asia Pacific regional and Global Youth Forums, thematic workshops, knowledge sharing events, offered seed grants to youth groups to organise events locally and travel grants to attend international events. He added ICIMOD together with partners like Mountain Partnership, CONDESAN, SDC and SEN organised series of youth events in HKH countries for local audience, in Bangkok for Asia Pacific audience and London and Rio de Janeiro for Global audience in preparation of Rio+20 Conference. ‘Now time has come we develop response to Rio+20 conference and here we see increased role of local partners in doing so, and this is why with this event we are requesting our partners to take a lead and we simply support them. SEN has done great job in preparation of this event and we hope things will go well’, he added.

Giving keynote Speech Dr. David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD underscored the role of leading sustainability campaigns and building better tomorrow. ‘Today’s generation of youth has plenty of opportunities to get involved in conservation and development activities and that is made easier and quite effective with the major revolution in information and communications sector. There are few problems added over last few decades but at the same time we have found some tools to address them effectively and our youth are well equipped with them’, he added.

Invited Speaker of the Forum Dr. Eklabya Sharma, Director Programme Operations, ICIMOD explained how ICIMOD is trying to contribute in developing youth leadership in the HKH region, and how these things are strategically linked with ICIMOD’s future programmes. He emphasized on need of intergenerational dialogues to understand better the problems we have and also to make sure youth voices are heard by the policy makers and people from older generations.

Speaking at the Forum Ms. Anja Møller Rasmussen, IKM Programme Manager, who also manages the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) regional programme at ICIMOD encouraged youth to utilize this opportunity to develop better network among youth from 15 countries and increase that every day. She added ‘key source of inspiration and team work comes from networking with people who might have similar visions, so talk to each people around, mingle with them and make a better networks.

The next session chaired by Dr Madan Lal Shrestha, Tribhuvan University and moderated by Dr Sangam Shrestha, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) introduced to the participants the concept of Green Economy.  Dr Golam Rasul, ICIMOD highlighted the interconnection between youth, green economy and sustainable mountain development. He emphasized that green economy can contribute to poverty reduction, achievement of MDGs, and promotion of sustainable mountain development (SMD), and called on the youth to take charge. . Dr Bhaskar Singh Karki, ICIMOD, highlighted the importance of REDD+, which can serve as a good strategy and core principle to implement green economy on the ground. Dr MSR Murthy, ICIMOD explained the importance of GIS applications, and Earth Observation tools in addressing green economy.  21 emerging environmental issues of the 21st century were discussed by Prof Dr Mickey Glantz, CCB. Mr Manjeet Dhakal, Clean Energy Nepal (CEN) and Mr Dipesh Chapagain, forum alumni 2010 and Nepalese Youth for Climate Actions (NYCA) respectively next clarified the UNFCCC process and how youths can do their bit to influence negotiation under the said process. . The final session of the day culminated with Mr Utsav Maden, Knowledge Management Associate ICIMOD, training the participants on the ways to use social media as a tool to contribute to green economy. Day II began at Hotel Goodwill with Dr Madan Lal Shrestha’s presentation on ‘Low Carbon Growth: State in Asia’. He explained that low-carbon strategy is indispensible for sustainable development. He emphasized green growth, which is a path to economic growth using natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Energy and water have an intertwined relationship and the water- energy -carbon nexus is very important in making the economy greener. This issue needs to be addressed through concerted efforts of all economies around the globe said Dr Sangam Shrestha, AIT in the following presentation on ‘Quantification of carbon energy and water nexus’.

Prof Dr. Rhiddi B. Singh, RECAST, in his presentation, 'Rural Energy Technology: A Concept of Green Economy' highlighted the traditional and modern methods of green fuel production and consumption in the Nepal context.

Representatives of all 15 participating countries made country report presentations in the following moderated session chaired by Dhiraj Pradhananga, SEN. The participants presented the state of green economy in their respective countries, including issues and challenges.

The third day’s theme was ‘Green Entrepreneurship’ that began with Mr Vivek D Sharma, UNDP/GEF/SGP highlighting nature based entrepreneurship opportunities. The sustainability session likened nature to a universal teacher.  It teaches us everything but we are the ones who do not understand it. It’s not the nature that needs to follow us it’s us who need to follow it. We need nature not the nature needs us. Technological fixes often produce unanticipated adverse impacts on nature. Prof Dr Mickey Glantz, who managed this session, warned everyone not to believe everything we hear. He opined that ‘human wellbeing for ecosystem goods and services’ is better accepted than ‘ecosystem goods and services for human wellbeing’ as the former is more eco-centric and latter one more ego-centric.

Dr Bhanu Neupane, UNESCO, talked on ICT and Climate change and suggested that increased use of renewable technology (energy, recycling, reducing CO2 etc) is a healthy step to be taken in today’s world where people don’t want to switch to modern technology.

This was followed by an exciting green excursion to Nakhipot, Lalitpur, to observe an organic practice demonstration by Mr Madan Rai. Dr Rai believes that organic farming is a tool to green economy. One of the most realistic and important demonstrations explained the necessity of shifting to organic farming using household wastes.

First half of the Day IV was dedicated to green technologies for sustainable mountain development.  Mr Samden Sherpa (ICIMOD Knowledge Park Manager at Godavari) presented an overview of the park followed by the guided interactive visit to demonstration plots within the park. Mountain agriculture (Sloping Agriculture Land Technology, SALT - I, II, III and IV), renewable energy production (hydro, solar, biogas), horticulture, apiculture, pisciculture etc were demonstrated and explained. The second half of the day concluded with Knowledge sharing session on ‘Prioritizing Sustainability Issues’ facilitated by Tek Jung Mahat from ICMOD.

Some of the highlights of the final day were: Straw-bale Construction in Nepal: Lessons and Future Plans by Ms. Laura Seraydarian, CCB; and GE and CCA-Sharing of experiences by Prof. Dr. Kedar L. Shrestha, IDI. Ms Bidhya Banmali Pradhan, ICIMOD finally ended the session by presenting on Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABC) and its role in climate change.

Remarks by invitees were followed by the announcement of and interactions with the six selected delegates to COP 18 from among the 40 participants in the closing session. The five lucky Youth Ambassadors going to COP 18, Doha, Qatar, are Ms Rozita Singh from India; Ms Marufa Ishaque from Bangladesh; Mr Sagar Aryal and Ms Timila Dhakhwa from Nepal; and Ms Chap Sopornetra from Combodia.