Regional Workshop on Eco-Industrial Clusters: Policies and Challenges

Background

Economically, Asia is the fastest growing region in the world, but currently facing the consequences of rapid industrialization and urbanization, resulting in lack of resources due to ever-rising consumption. Changes in industrial production process and resource consumption patterns are needed. At the same time, ample evidences exist that industrialized urban areas are location of clustered economic activities and thus sources of wastes, pollution and emissions.

Industrial clusters are geographic concentration of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) that draw productive advantage from their mutual proximity and connections.

These industrial clusters could be transformed into Eco-Industrial Clusters (EIC) when the inter-firm networks are established to share resources like energy, materials, water, information, human etc. Adopting such eco-approaches is crucial element of resource recovery for the industrial clusters located in urban centers. These approaches also offer the firms operating within the clusters the prospect of competitive growth. Based on the concepts of industrial ecology and business competitiveness, eco-industrial clusters can reduce waste and pollution as well as create green jobs, attracting service providers and generating local wealth.

This innovative approach is visible across a number of Asian countries. The benefits of EIC based regional development planning in addressing the environmental and poverty concerns are not yet widely recognized by many local governments in both developed and emerging economies. To promote better understanding of the potentials of eco-industrial clusters in the context of regional wealth creation, this training programme will focus on sharing the success stories of EICs, the sustainability challenges that industrial clusters face, and the socio-economic benefits of eco-innovations that is occurring within the industrial clusters.

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Objectives

The main objective of the workshop is to help the leaders of local governments and national level policy makers develop a strategic approach in dealing with environmental and social issues facing businesses.

This can be achieved by:

1. Demonstrating the potentials of transforming SME clusters into eco-friendly economic zones,
2. Identifying policy constraints and formulate strategies for boosting cluster based innovation system,
3. Illustrating successful examples of doing eco- businesses within industrial clusters, and
4. Cultivating leadership for inclusive and sustainable development of urban-rural fringe areas.

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Outputs

• Enhanced understanding by policymakers on the opportunities available with EICs - how to create innovative, impact oriented and environment friendly SME clusters.
• Learning through exchange of experiences on successful EICs.
• Familiarity with financing of local SME clusters favoring environmental protection and poverty alleviation agendas.
• Ability to plan and implement eco-industrial cluster initiatives for sustainable regional development.
• Prototype training manual on Eco-Industrial Clusters.
• Summary of the proceedings.

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Participants

Senior-level officials from Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Industry and Municipalities.

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How to Apply

Participation is by invitation only.

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Language

English (no interpretation will be provided)