Barua urges UNIDO to help develop 'green industry'
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
FE Report
Industries Minister Dilip Barua sought more collaboration with UNIDO in the areas of technology transfer, capacity building and financial support to ensure greening of industries.
He said rapid and sustainable growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) could be useful tools to significantly reduce poverty and unemployment.
He was speaking at a daylong seminar on "Application of Green Technologies in SME Sector for the Sustainable Industrial Development of Bangladesh" in the city Monday.
He said local SMEs growth is significant. Around six million SMEs and micro-enterprises are contributing 25 per cent to the GDP creating jobs.
Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Dr Kandeh K Yumkella assured technological support to supplement its efforts in greening the industries of Bangladesh.
"UNIDO can provide support to have access to the best available technologies as Bangladesh embarks on its green industry development path," Mr Yumkella said.
He said to achieve resource efficiency, three factors-material consumption, material productivity and carbon emissions-need to be taken into consideration.
Quoting a UNIDO study dubbed Resource Use and Resource Efficiency in Asia, he said the per capita material consumption in Bangladesh is very low and is declining due to high population growth.
Material productivity values are very high in Bangladesh compared to some emerging economies, he said citing China's example, which uses a few available resources more efficiently.
"Bangladesh needs external support to increase material affluence and cut poverty," the UNIDO DG said.
He said the agenda of UNIDO for greening industries is to ensure all manufacturing industries produce more using fewer resources and thus generate fewer emissions and waste.
Dewan Zakir Hossain, secretary of Ministry of Industries said more than 90 per cent enterprises of the country belong to SMEs and most of those are using poor technologies and for that reason consume higher energy.
"Bangladesh needs constant supply of power to become an economic tiger of any form," Sabir Majumder, chief executive officer of Xenergeia-an US based alternative energy company-said while presenting his key note paper.
Cheap labour is not enough to survive global competition and woo foreign direct investment in the country as energy problem is more acute than any other crises, he said.
Explaining the need for green technology in SME sector for sustainable industrial development of the country, he said, SMEs contribute 25 per cent of the GDP.
Green technologies can increase the GDP by two per cent and solar power is the primary and immediate option for Bangladesh, he added saying "Solar is most developed, available and easy energy to use."
Director of Environment Management Branch of UNIDO Dr Heinz
Leuenberger also presented a keynote paper on Greening of Industries.
Industries Minister Dilip Barua sought more collaboration with UNIDO in the areas of technology transfer, capacity building and financial support to ensure greening of industries.
He said rapid and sustainable growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) could be useful tools to significantly reduce poverty and unemployment.
He was speaking at a daylong seminar on "Application of Green Technologies in SME Sector for the Sustainable Industrial Development of Bangladesh" in the city Monday.
He said local SMEs growth is significant. Around six million SMEs and micro-enterprises are contributing 25 per cent to the GDP creating jobs.
Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Dr Kandeh K Yumkella assured technological support to supplement its efforts in greening the industries of Bangladesh.
"UNIDO can provide support to have access to the best available technologies as Bangladesh embarks on its green industry development path," Mr Yumkella said.
He said to achieve resource efficiency, three factors-material consumption, material productivity and carbon emissions-need to be taken into consideration.
Quoting a UNIDO study dubbed Resource Use and Resource Efficiency in Asia, he said the per capita material consumption in Bangladesh is very low and is declining due to high population growth.
Material productivity values are very high in Bangladesh compared to some emerging economies, he said citing China's example, which uses a few available resources more efficiently.
"Bangladesh needs external support to increase material affluence and cut poverty," the UNIDO DG said.
He said the agenda of UNIDO for greening industries is to ensure all manufacturing industries produce more using fewer resources and thus generate fewer emissions and waste.
Dewan Zakir Hossain, secretary of Ministry of Industries said more than 90 per cent enterprises of the country belong to SMEs and most of those are using poor technologies and for that reason consume higher energy.
"Bangladesh needs constant supply of power to become an economic tiger of any form," Sabir Majumder, chief executive officer of Xenergeia-an US based alternative energy company-said while presenting his key note paper.
Cheap labour is not enough to survive global competition and woo foreign direct investment in the country as energy problem is more acute than any other crises, he said.
Explaining the need for green technology in SME sector for sustainable industrial development of the country, he said, SMEs contribute 25 per cent of the GDP.
Green technologies can increase the GDP by two per cent and solar power is the primary and immediate option for Bangladesh, he added saying "Solar is most developed, available and easy energy to use."
Director of Environment Management Branch of UNIDO Dr Heinz
Leuenberger also presented a keynote paper on Greening of Industries.