The Economy & Environment Partnership for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA) organized its Annual Meeting on October 27-28, 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The two-day event brought together researchers, policymakers, experts, and stakeholders from across the region to foster networking, share knowledge, explore collaborative opportunities, and shape the future direction of EEPSEA.
Participants at the EEPSEA Annual Meeting 2023
In his opening remarks, Dr. Pham Khanh Nam celebrated EEPSEA’s 30-year journey as a pioneering network nurturing environmental and development economics research in Southeast Asia. The conference theme “Charting a Transformative Path: Advancing Sustainable Futures in Southeast Asia” reflected EEPSEA’s goal of fostering transformative discussions and collaborative action towards a greener, cleaner, and more inclusive development in the region.
Dr. Pham Khanh Nam, EEPSEA Director, delivered the welcome remark
The meeting started with two thought-provoking keynote presentations that set the tone for the discussions. The first keynote was delivered by Dr. Ian Coxhead from IDE-JETRO and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, titled “Will you take my (s)crap? Waste havens in the global plastic waste trade.” Dr. Coxhead examined the implications of China’s 2018 ban on plastic waste imports. His research revealed a “waste haven” pattern where plastic waste trade shifted environmental burden to poorer countries with lax environmental regulations. He warned that the increase in plastic waste exports to countries with poor waste management systems could exacerbate the global plastic pollution crisis.
Dr. Ian Coxhead presented his keynote speech about waste havens in the global plastic waste trade
The second keynote was presented by Dr. Lesly Goh, the World Bank Group Senior Technology Advisor. Her presentation, “Designing an innovation ecosystem with multi-stakeholder partnership for carbon sequestration in Southeast Asia,” highlighted the importance of agriculture in Southeast Asia’s economy and its impact on food security. Dr. Goh discussed opportunities from digital technologies to overcome challenges in the global food system like inefficiency, information gaps, and climate change. She advocated for a digital transformation of agri-food systems leveraging technologies to increase farmer incomes, enhance sustainability, and improve nutrition.
Dr. Lesly Goh shared her experience about the opportunities from digital technologies to overcome challenges in the global food system
The parallel sessions allowed for in-depth exploration of diverse topics critical to the region’s sustainable development. Key areas covered included agricultural practices and climate change adaptation, renewable energy adoption, air quality and emission management, environmental management, green production and consumption patterns, climate vulnerability assessments, adaptation strategies, fisheries and aquaculture management, natural capital accounting, economic valuation of ecosystem services, community participation in environmental issues, and socioeconomic impacts assessments.
A presentation at the parallel session
A dedicated World Café discussion facilitated interactive dialogue on developing regional research agendas, integrating gender perspectives in environmental economics research, strengthening research capacity, and enhancing policy impact.
A presentation at the parallel session
Throughout the meeting, participants engaged in vibrant discussions, shared insights, and explored potential collaborations. Networking opportunities allowed researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to establish new connections and strengthen existing partnerships.
Dr. Pham Khanh Nam reviewed the 5 year operation of the EEPSEA Partnership
In the closing remarks, Dr. Nam summarized EEPSEA’s five-year operations supported by Sida funding and the Executive members together expressed the organization’s commitment to working towards self-sufficiency while seeking additional sources to sustain and grow the network.
The EEPSEA Executive Members thanked the network member for their involvement and contribution to the EEPSEA Partnership
The EEPSEA Annual Meeting 2023 served as a platform for collective reflection on the partnership’s achievements, lessons learned, and future strategic directions. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the event fostered transdisciplinary approaches, promoted knowledge exchange, and drove up the collaborative efforts towards a greener, more resilient, and inclusive development pathway for Southeast Asia.
Together toward a greener, cleaner and inclusive development in the Southeast Asia