Myanmar should Pursue ‘Green’ Development, Says Visiting UN Official
Myanmar should Pursue ‘Green’ Development, Says Visiting UN Official
Mizzima, 08 Feb 2019
URL: http://mizzima.com/development-features/myanmar-should-pursue%25E2%2580%2598green%25E2%2580% 2599- development-says-visiting-un-official
A visiting UN official says Myanmar has an “enormous opportunity” in pursuing an environmentally sustainable path to development in the coming years.
Head of UN Environment and UN Under-Secretary-General Erik Solheim is visiting Myanmar to address the ASEAN Institute on the Green Economy conference, meet senior government officials and speak with members of the business community and civil society, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
On February 7, he took reporters to visit a mangrove conservation site near National Races Village in the Yangon Region.
Mr Solheim told Mizzima that no one should have to choose between the environment and development as the two can go hand in hand.
“We are looking to have UN environmental support for Myanmar utilising the enormous opportunity for going green and develop the land at the same time, promoting renewable energies rather than going into coal, to make jobs and promote prosperity,” he said.
“We discussed that yesterday with Aung San Suu Kyi and also a number of other leaders,” Mr Solheim told Mizzima. “We can provide the best examples of what has gone well in India or Germany or Africa and provide that example for Myanmar. We are creating global platforms where this can be discussed, bring expertise, practical things, where there is a lot of interest.”
Myanmar is both vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change and currently lacks capacity in terms of systems.
As he pointed out at the mangrove forest project site, the prospects for growing and renewing mangrove plantations were exciting, in part due to new technology and a growing awareness of how to protect the environment and people against the negative effects of storms and cyclones.
He said drones are now being used to plant mangrove forests, a drastically improved situation when compared to using manpower.
Tree planting can be carried out on a much larger scale because humans can only plant a few mangroves saplings a day, whereas a drone can plant more or less endlessly, and they can “replant” and make large areas green over time.
Head of UN Environment and UN Under-Secretary-General Erik Solheim is visiting Myanmar to address the ASEAN Institute on the Green Economy conference, meet senior government officials and speak with members of the business community and civil society, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
On February 7, he took reporters to visit a mangrove conservation site near National Races Village in the Yangon Region.
Mr Solheim told Mizzima that no one should have to choose between the environment and development as the two can go hand in hand.
“We are looking to have UN environmental support for Myanmar utilising the enormous opportunity for going green and develop the land at the same time, promoting renewable energies rather than going into coal, to make jobs and promote prosperity,” he said.
“We discussed that yesterday with Aung San Suu Kyi and also a number of other leaders,” Mr Solheim told Mizzima. “We can provide the best examples of what has gone well in India or Germany or Africa and provide that example for Myanmar. We are creating global platforms where this can be discussed, bring expertise, practical things, where there is a lot of interest.”
Myanmar is both vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change and currently lacks capacity in terms of systems.
As he pointed out at the mangrove forest project site, the prospects for growing and renewing mangrove plantations were exciting, in part due to new technology and a growing awareness of how to protect the environment and people against the negative effects of storms and cyclones.
He said drones are now being used to plant mangrove forests, a drastically improved situation when compared to using manpower.
Tree planting can be carried out on a much larger scale because humans can only plant a few mangroves saplings a day, whereas a drone can plant more or less endlessly, and they can “replant” and make large areas green over time.