South-East Asian Training of Trainers Capacity Development Seminar,

Kanchanaburi, Thailand,

31 August to 5 September 2009

This Capacity Development Seminar focuses on strengthening the capacity of policy makers from ASEAN member states. After the training participants are expected to be able to develop and promote policies and strategies that would steer the current economic growth pattern into more eco-efficient and low carbon growth patterns for the overall improvement of quality of life of the peoples in the region, as well as for increasing resilience to and prevention of further climate change adversities.

The Governments of Asia and the Pacific have requested the UN Secretariat to provide capacity development activities in support of developing countries, landlocked countries and countries with economies in transition. The 61st ESCAP Commission Session issued Resolution 61/9 providing guidance to the secretariat on the implementation of the decisions of the 5th MCED and requesting ESCAP to provide capacity development assistance to the countries in the region for the operationalization and application of the Green Growth approach.

Today, ESCAP is facing substantive demands from the ASEAN member states to diffuse and put into action the strategies of the Green Growth approach in the region. Countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam, the Philippines, and Cambodia have requested ESCAPs Green Growth capacity development seminars in order to assist their respective institutionalization of eco-efficient and environmentally sustainable economic growth (Green Growth) into their own national development plans.

The seminar will utilize the Green Growth training of trainers toolkit, practical exercises, quizzes, group discussions, field trips and the recently released ADB study on the Economics of Climate Change in South-East Asia to educate participants about the Green Growth policy tools available that can be used to promote climate change action and low carbon development.

In addition, the UN will be off-setting the carbon emissions generated by this meeting. ESCAP has decided to team up with the non-profit Plant-A-Tree-Today (PATT) Foundation who will offset the emissions by planting trees in selected Asian countries. The PATT Foundation was formed in 2005 and is aimed at combating climate change and providing economic, social and environmental sustainability through community based forestry projects in developing countries. Their goal is to plant 1 million new trees per year in locations worldwide. Individual participants will also be given the opportunity if they wish to donate a small part of their DSA to off set their carbon emissions.

The Comsaed River Kwai Resort in Kanchanaburi is a beautiful eco-resort set on the banks of the River Kwai. The venue has been built with sustainability in mind using natural materials and is an excellent case study of eco-tourism planning. There will be a number of short field trips during the training to showcase some of the local greening projects which have been initiated at the eco-resort.

The Comsaed River Kwai Eco-resort set in beautiful landscaped gardens.

The ASEAN Training of Trainers working groups were used to facilitate discussions and to exchange best practices.

This micro-hydro generator on the river provides renewable energy to the resort.

The waste from the restaurant and kitchen is used to make biogas for cooking.

The resort makes organic pesticides and detergents from the kitchen waste.

This lady is packaging the natural shampoo and shower gel made from indigenous plants.

The resort uses organic agricultural techniques to preserve local livelihoods and to supply the resort with clean healthy food.

The Green Growth Graduates receive their certificates at the tree planting and closing ceremony.