Regional Media Workshop: Sustainable Development – A Viable Goal?
27-28 October 2008, Amari Water Gate Hotel, Bangkok

In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development, also known as the Brundtland Commission, published ‘Our Common Future’, a seminal report that outlined critical environment and development challenges of the decade and provided a blueprint to meet the needs and aspirations of people without compromising those of future generations.

It was the first report that drew links between the environment and economic and social concerns and called for a marriage of ecology and economy - a strategy that unites development and the environment. The report is also known for coining the term ‘sustainable development’ and bringing the concept to the global agenda.

What has been the progress since? Have countries embraced ‘sustainable development’ or are their goals to lift people out of poverty and raise living standards in discord with the concept? What has been the experience in Asia Pacific, a region that has experienced exponential growth, some of the highest in the world, but remains beset with poverty, deprivation and environmental degradation?

To raise greater awareness about sustainable development and its importance in country/subregional strategies, a 2-day workshop will be held for the media from selected countries the region (see list below) in Bangkok October 27-28, 2008. This workshop will look at sustainable development in Asia Pacific, with a focus on countries that have developed sustainable development strategies and action plans. During the workshop, journalists will get first-hand accounts of country experiences in developing and implementing strategies, what progress they have made and challenges they face. The workshop will also explore the notion of sustainable development – Can it work? Does it work and how will it work? - and its relevance in the Asia Pacific context.

This workshop is part of the ‘National and Subregional Sustainable Development Strategy and Action Plans towards Mainstreaming Sustainable Development in the Decision Making Process’ project undertaken by UNEP with the support of the Norwegian Government. The project aims to assist 17 countries and 3 subregions to develop national and subregional development strategies and action plans. Through this project, a partnership was forged with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to assist countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to develop subregional and national development strategies.

Participants will represent print and the electronic media and, as far as possible, the organizers hope to achieve gender balance. All travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses will be borne by the organizers.

They will be addressed by development experts and senior media practitioners. Specific themes include energy security, food security, ecosystems management, and governance issues. There will be several case studies which will be newsworthy and generally illustrative of the approach to sustainable development. The sessions will be highly interactive, encouraging media persons to intervene. There will also be a half-day field trip.

We have invited journalists from the following countries to participate in the workshop:

• South Asia: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
   
• Southeast: Viet Nam, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore
   
• Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan
   
• Northeast: Mongolia
   
• South Pacific: Samoa
   

For more information:

• Tentative Agenda
• Information for participants
• List of participants
• Presentations and References
• Meeting Report