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Indian PM to inaugurate TERIs flagship Summit on Resource-Efficient Development

by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India | The Energy and Resources Institute
Tuesday, 22 January 2013 17:34 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) 13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit will witness global thought leaders exploring issues of resource-efficiency, climate change, green economy and responsible business in the context of developing economies.   By: Samarth Pathak (TERI)/New Delhi, India Over the last few years, serious concerns have been raised on the negative impacts of rampant industrialisation and unplanned urbanisation on the ecological and environmental balance in developing economies. According to recent research, many developing nations will face—or are already facing--extreme scarcity of natural resources owing to unsustainable consumption patterns. A recent study conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) suggested that the total commercial energy consumption in India would increase by 7.5 times between 2001 and 2031, under a business as usual scenario, while imports of coal, oil and gas would also multiply in the next couple of decades. Experts believe that this growing resource demand-supply gap would have a detrimental impact on economic growth, human development as well as poverty alleviation. Clearly, it is time for nations to rise and take united, concentrated action. The need of the hour is to identify and address the systemic roadblocks to sustainable development. Undoubtedly, framing strong policies and ensuring their effective implementation will require unprecedented levels of cooperation between international governments. In order to facilitate in-depth discussions on these issues with some of the best international minds, TERI is hosting the 13th edition of its widely-successful Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) series from January 31-February 02 this year in New Delhi. Themed “The Global Challenge of Resource-Efficient Growth and Development,” DSDS 2013 will be inaugurated by the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Announcing the Summit at a news conference in New Delhi, noted environmentalist and TERI’s Director-General, Dr. R.K. Pachauri asserted, “Sustainable development as a concept was popularised by the Brundtland Commission, but hardly received attention from influential world leaders till very recently. DSDS was launched in 2001 with foresight on the crucial importance of converting this concept into worldwide practice. Over the years with the involvement of world leaders from every section of human endeavour, sustainable development has moved from a concept to policies and programmes in different parts of the globe. DSDS has been an important instrument in bringing about this change.” Pushing for sustainable growth, DSDS 2013 aims to not only build global consensus to protect natural resources, but also to explore innovative solutions to boost efficient practices and minimise energy and resource footprint. A central novelty at DSDS this year will be the thematic tracks on issues like Global trends in sustainable production & consumption with a special focus on edible oils; Mindset of Green Growth; Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Energy Future We Want for All; and Reducing Inequalities: a Sustainable Development Challenge. These will be some of the key areas on which parallel discussions will take place on the sidelines of the Summit.      “We are living in a world where the demand for several resources is growing faster than the addition to their reserves. High resource use intensity is also associated with economic inefficiency. Hence, improving the efficiency of use of resources in an economy can often be achieved at low or negative cost, thereby providing economic gains. Most importantly, using resources efficiently also makes it possible for the poor to gain access to them, which otherwise they may not be able to afford,” said Dr. Pachauri, while explaining the relevance of the Summit’s theme. Continuing the series’ rich legacy, DSDS 2013 will feature an illustrious array of distinguished luminaries from more than 35 nations across the world. Among the Heads of State attending the discussions will be the President of Guyana, Mr. Donald Ramotar; President of Seychelles, Mr.  James Alix Michel; President of Kiribati, Mr. Anote Tong; and Former President of Finland, Ms. Tarja Halonen. The President of the Asian Development Bank, Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda; President of African Development Bank, Mr. Donald Kaberuka; President of the sixty-sixth session of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser; Member of the House of Lords, UK, The Rt. Hon. The Lord John Prescott; Nobel Laureate and Scientific Director of Germany’s Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Carlo Rubbia; renowned economist and Director of The Earth Institute at USA’s Columbia University, Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs; and noted author and Foreign Affairs Columnist of The New York Times, Mr. Thomas L Friedman will also be leading the sessions. Since its inception, the DSDS series has enjoyed support and participation from over 33 heads of state and ministers from more than 43 countries, exemplifying its global appeal and relevance. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Registration for DSDS 2013 is open. Four package options are available – full Summit registration (all three days), DSDS single day registration, World CEO Sustainability Summit (30th Jan), and a combined package for both WCSS and DSDS. Visit http://dsds.teriin.org to register. (Related article: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/sustainable-development-the-global-challenge-of-resource-efficient-growth/)  
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