ISAP Interactive Sessions inviting selected ISAP guests were convened back-to-back with the 3rd International Forum for Sustainable Asia and the Pacific (ISAP2011). A series of meetings intends to facilitate close dialogues between guest speakers and IGES researchers. It also intended to facilitate discussions between the guests and audiences in a participatory manner. Each meeting was designed to have: (i) an interview session conducted by IGES young researchers to get in-depth understanding on the views and opinions of the guest speakers; and (ii) a Q&A session with the audiences.

Speakers Creating Sustainable Future by UN Reform: Make “Rio+20” Appealing for Broad Constituents Dr. Klaus Toepfer Executive Director, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies e.V. (IASS) Improving global environmental governance is a formidable task due to the complexity of the UN system. There is also the issue of the intrinsic nature of environmental governance, with its conflicting interests within and with other areas. In order to comprehend and find out the key for a solution, we conducted an interview with Dr. Klaus Topfer, one of the best known and experienced figures in the field. The interview included perspectives towards Rio+20, as well as highlighting the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. He also gave his valuable views on Japan’s energy policy, based on his wealth of experience in Germany. Read more Rio+20 in the Context of Asian Perspectives: Need for Proactive Actions on Strengthening Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development Mr. Surendra Shrestha Team leader, IFSD, Secretariat for United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD: Rio+20) The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD: Rio+20) will take place in Brazil in June 2012 to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. The Conference will discuss two key themes, ‘Green Economy in the context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication’ and ‘Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development (IFSD).’ Mr. Surendra Shrestha is currently appointed as the Task Leader on IFSD as part of the UN special taskforce, based in New York, for the preparation of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development. This session asked him for details on IFSD and his views on the path towards Rio+20, as well as on the recovery from the East Japan Disaster. Read more Community based Approaches: Their Importance and Relevance for a Comprehensive Development in Today’s Vulnerable World Dr. Atiq Rahman Executive Director, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) Dr. Atiq Rahman is the Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and has been involved in community based approaches in various fields and at different levels. In this interview, Dr. Rahman explained the background of a success of community-based approaches by BCAS, their importance and relevance for development in other developing, as well as developed countries. Read more Lessons Learned from the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in Sri Lanka: Implications for the Rio+20 and Post-disaster Strategies in Japan Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne General Secretary, Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement Dr. Vinya S. Ariyaratne, General Secretary of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in Sri Lanka, has long been engaged in socio-economic development activities at the community level as well as recovery programmes from the tsunami in 2004. We asked his views and opinions about green economy as well as post-disaster strategies in Japan, based on his substantial experiences. Read more

Go to top of page