Asia and the Pacific

Green Initiative in the Philippines: Eco-town Framework Project

The municipality of San Vicente in the Philippines incorporates twenty-two islands and islets that are home to diverse wildlife and twenty-four distinct ethnolinguistic groups. The community farms rice that’s largely consumed locally, and fishermen can bring income into the community by selling their catch to external markets. Higher average temperatures and changes to precipitation could greatly impact both agriculture and fisheries.

Green Initiative in Myanmar: Green Economy Green Growth (GEGG) Myanmar and Forums

Raising awareness of, and working on environmental and climate concerns is a collective effort in the ethnically diverse country. One leader on that front is a not-for-profit organization known as the Green Economy Green Growth Association (GEGG), which promotes knowledge exchange between groups within Myanmar, as well as with experts and interested parties from the international community. A primary goal of the GEGG program is to find a balance between the needs of humanity and nature, while helping business find a sustainable path forward.

Voluntary National Review: Indonesia

Indonesia volunteered to present its national review (VNR) at the 2017 High Level Political Forum (HLPF). Indonesia’s first VNR centered on the theme of poverty eradication and improving prosperity (Goal 1). To this end, the report primarily focused on two aspects of sustainable development: improving the quality of human resources and enhancing economic opportunities. Both goals were targeted with the aim of delivering sustainable livelihoods.

Voluntary National Review: Samoa

Samoa volunteered to present its national review (VNR) at the 2016 High Level Political Forum (HLPF). Samoa’s ability to develop while meeting the challenge of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is constrained by its small size, scarce resources, dispersion and isolation from markets, and capacity limitations. On top of this, Samoa has to deal with tsunamis and flooding, and live with vulnerability to climate change in a country where roughly 70% of the population lives near the coast.