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Germany Seeks Sustainable Jobs Growth & Production in ASEAN

The Conference on ASEAN SCP Policies and Practices: Celebrating 12 Years of German-Southeast Asian SCP Cooperation was held this week at the DoubleTree by Hilton Shah Alam i-City Malaysia, marking 12 years of cooperation between SE Asia and Germany.

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The Conference on ASEAN SCP Policies and Practices: Celebrating 12 Years of German-Southeast Asian SCP Cooperation was held this week at the DoubleTree by Hilton Shah Alam i-City Malaysia, marking 12 years of cooperation between SE Asia and Germany.

The Conference, organised in collaboration with the 17th Asia-Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP), was attended by over 200 policymakers, industry leaders, and experts from across APAC.

Participants focused on advancing Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), marking 12 years of collaboration between Southeast Asia and Germany. The event aims to highlight how ASEAN countries, in partnership with Germany, are addressing environmental challenges while fostering job creation through SCP initiatives.

Supporting ASEANs objectives, is the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, which claims to play a crucial role in advancing SCP policies across ASEAN.

According to GIZ, it promotes green public procurement, eco-labelling, and sustainable consumption, aligning with ASEAN’s SCP goals. With over 50 years of experience working with governments, businesses, and civil society, GIZ helps drive sustainable development throughout Southeast Asia.

According to the Selangor Menteri Besar, Y.A.B. Dato Seri Amirudin Shari this cooperation reflects ASEAN’s leadership in promoting SCP as a strategy to address environmental challenges and create job opportunities.

“Our goal is to drive SCP policies that not only reduce environmental footprints but also create meaningful job opportunities for our people. Environmental and economic strategies must work together, particularly through the principles of the Circular Economy,” says Dato Shari.

ASEAN countries, dealing with rapid urbanization and growing resource demands, increasingly rely on SCP practices to address these challenges. The region accounts for 63% of global material consumption, driven by manufacturing and economic growth. While these factors improve living standards, they also increase environmental impacts. ASEAN’s SCP policies aim to boost resource efficiency, reduce environmental footprints, and create economic opportunities, especially for SMEs.

According to Dato Shari, Malaysia aims to be a leader in SCP initiatives through the implementation of its Circular Economy Action Plans.

“These plans include Circular Economy and Green Public Procurement Integration, Product Certification and Circular Economy Standards, and Extended Producer Responsibility for Waste Management. We are progressively making GPP more mandatory across all provinces and cities in Malaysia, ensuring that green government becomes the new normal,” says Dato Shari.

The International Resource Panel (IRP), which was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), provides expert advice on sustainable resource management.

Commenting on SCP initiatives, IRP Co-Chair Dr. Janez Potočnik says that we must recognize that the choices we make today, in terms of how we produce and consume, will determine our ability to live within planetary boundaries tomorrow.

“Sustainable consumption and production are not optional; they are necessary to secure our future. The IRP assesses global resource use and its impacts, helping governments and industries make informed decisions on managing natural resources more efficiently,” says Potočnik.

In preparation for Malaysia’s ASEAN presidency in 2025, Dato Shari says that Malaysia plan’s to lead the establishment of the ASEAN Green Public Procurement Academy.

“This institution will serve as a center of excellence, where we can share best practices and collaborate on GPP strategies,” with the goal of strengthening sustainable procurement efforts across ASEAN,” says Dato Shari.

He also stresses that achieving SCP goals requires not only government efforts but industry participation.

“The construction industry must commit to procuring sustainable materials, and our manufacturers must innovate in response to the growing demand for green products. These actions will not only reduce emissions but also create jobs and boost economic resilience,” says Dato Shari.

Some SCP initiatives in Malaysia include projects such as the MyRelamp initiative in Petaling Jaya and energy-efficient streetlight installations in Hulu Selangor.

“Selangor is proud to be at the forefront of SCP implementation, with our pilot cities setting benchmarks for others to follow. It is through these collaborations that we will shape a more sustainable and prosperous future for our region,” says Dato Shari.

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