Integrating the Economic, Social and Integrating the Economic, Social and Environmental Pillars of Sustainable Environmental Pillars of Sustainable Development in Asia and the PacificDevelopment in Asia and the Pacific

Dr. Noeleen HeyzerUnder-Secretary-General of the United Nations

and Executive Secretary of ESCAP

Dialogue of Executive Secretaries of Regional Commissionswith Second Committee of the United Nations General Assembly

4 October 2011, New York

Challenges of sustaining development in the Asia-Pacific region today

0 2 4 6 8 10

Europe

Latin America and Caribbean

Middle East

Africa

Asia-Pacific

Percentage

2011

2010

0 2 4 6 8 10

Europe

Latin America and Caribbean

Middle East

Africa

Asia-Pacific

Percentage

2011

2010

Region’s dynamic growth threatened by new economic uncertainties

ESCAP Economic and Social Survey 2011

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

GDP per capita (international dollars of 2005)

Hea

dco

un

t p

ove

rty

rate

(p

er c

ent)

Rural China 1987-2005

Urban China 1987-2005

Indonesia 1987-2005

Bangladesh 1992-2005

India 1988-2005

Philippines 1988-2006

Sri Lanka 1985-2002

Viet Nam 1993-2006

Economic growth has had a large impacton poverty reduction

ESCAP Economic and Social Survey 2011

Pakistan

Indonesia

Philippines

Viet Nam

Thailand

Bangladesh

Sri Lanka

Turkey

Russian Federation

Lao PDR

China

India

Iran (Islamic Rep. of)

Kazakhstan

Cambodia

-4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

Growth in per capita GDP minus growth in per capita average household consumption (per cent)

Median = 1.7%

But growth has not fully benefitted households and social injustice has risen

ESCAP Economic and Social Survey 2011

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

300 500 700 900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100

Average annual consumption per capita ($ PPP 2005)

Inequ

ality

extra

ction

ratio

Rural China 1990-2005

Rural India 1978-2005

Philippines 1985-2006

Urban China 1990-2005

Cambodia 1994-2004

Sri Lanka 1985-2002

Rural Indonesia 1984-2005

Viet Nam 1993-2006

And the scale of deprivation is still large

ESCAP /UNDP/ADB : Asia –Pacific MDG Report 2010/11

High food and energy prices are serious threats

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1/2 x Food price rise & oil $105 1x Food price rise & oil $115 2 x Food price rise & oil $135

42.4

20.2

9.8

People affected: 2011 (millions)

Prevented to get out of poverty

Pushed into poverty

ESCAP Economic and Social Survey 2011

ESCAP Economic and Social Survey 2011

Food and oil price trends

Growth has also increased pressures on natural resources

Materials consumption

Carbon dioxide emissions per capita

BP CO2 Data

CSIRO-UNEP: Asia-Pacific Materials Flow Data Base

Energy intensity of GDP (toe/’000 2000 $)

Opportunities to sustain growth at a lower natural resource cost

ADB: Improving Energy Security and Reducing Carbon Intensity in Asia and the Pacific

Primary energy mix

UNDESA: World Economic and Social Survey 2011

Summing up…

People in Asia-Pacific developing countries earned in 2008 what people in developed countries earned 80-100 years ago.

UNDESA: World Economic and Social Survey 2011

Per capita income trends: 1850-2008

Rising up to the challenges: integrating the economic and social pillars

ESCAP Economic and Social Survey 2011

Rising up to the challenges: integrating the environmental pillar

UNEP: Green Economy Report

Projected GDP trends under a green investment scenario

Asia-Pacific initiatives towards a more sustainable future

Guiding principles

Regional Commissions in the institutional framework for sustainable development