The Untied Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) and the United Nations Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) will co-organize the “LLDCs (Landlocked Developing Countries) Consultation Meeting on the Pre-Zero Draft of New Declaration on 3R and Circular Economy in Asia-Pacific (2024-2034)” from 6 to 7 August 2024 at the UN Lao PDR in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
The Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) face unique issues and challenges in achieving sustainable development in view of their unique location and vulnerabilities, including the exposure to global environmental challenges, frequent and intense climate induced natural disasters and a wide range of socio-economic impacts from global warming and climate change. LLDCs are locked out with no direct territorial access to the sea, they struggle with international trade, connectivity, and economic development. Cut off from the global marketplace and without the means to develop adequate transport and logistics infrastructure, LLDCs face unique and significant challenges in achieving the SDGs. Sustainability and resilience cannot be achieved in LLDCs unless they are equipped with sustainable and resilient infrastructures in areas of energy, transport, digital communications, safe drinking water supply and sanitation, health and education, agriculture and irrigation, and waste management (reduce, resource recovery, reuse, recycle) and wastewater treatment in support of achieving zero waste societies and circular economy, among others.
UNCRD has been convening on an annual basis the Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific since 2009 under the project of Promotion of 3R in Asia and the Pacific supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. Currently there are more than 35 Asia-Pacific member countries joining the Forum on a regular basis. The Hanoi 3R Declaration (2013-2023) and its 33 sustainable 3R goals which was agreed at 4th Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific in Hanoi, Viet Nam, in 2013 was the first unprecedented voluntary commitment of Asia-Pacific countries in moving towards a more resource efficient and circular society. The Pre-Zero Draft of New Declaration on 3R and Circular Economy in Asia-Pacific (2024-2034) is currently going through a series of consultation with participating member countries of the Forum and relevant stakeholders. Through a series of the consultation meetings, the new Declaration will be revised and is expected to be agreed at the 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia-Pacific in late 2024 or early 2025.
The LLDCs consultation meeting aims to discuss and enrich the draft new Declaration from the perspective of LLDCs highlighting the issues and goals that need to be addressed in the Declaration.
The meeting and workshop will be participated by national government representatives from LLDCs (Bhutan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, and Nepal), representatives of UN and international organizations, experts, and local participants.
CONCEPT NOTE AND PROGRAMME
- Draft Concept Note and Provisional Programme (as of 11 July 2024)