On 28 May, IGES and START International signed a Memorandum of Understanding on mutual activities over the next four years. Together, the organizations will collaborate to advance research and capacity building that strengthens understanding and promotes utilisation of the Regional Circulating and Ecological Sphere (Regional/Local-CES) concept, in order to address sustainability challenges in Asia. To this end, joint activities will include 1) consultation workshops in South Asia and Southeast Asia focused on the Regional/Local-CES framework in the context of regional/local needs and priorities, to engage participants from scientific, practitioner, policy and civil sector stakeholder groups in the region, 2) inter- and transdisciplinary research, and 3) capacity building through integrated learning opportunities, and sustained engagement with policy and practice communities in the region.
The memorandum of understanding reinforces IGES’s mission to advance the Regional/Local-CES approach as an avenue to acheive sustainable development regionally and globally.
About the Regional Circulating and Ecological Sphere
The “Regional Circulating and Ecological Sphere” (Regional/Local-CES) focuses on developing the SDGs at the regional and local levels, and integrating the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Put forward in the Fifth Basic Plan for the Environment, approved by the Japanese Cabinet in 2018, the Regional/Local-CES invites regions and localities to rediscover their untapped potential to create sustainable communities by encouraging stronger urban-rural connectivity. It does so by promoting a circular economy, creating a symbiotic society in harmony with nature, and achieving a decarbonized, self-reliant and decentralised society.
About START International, Inc.
Since 1992, START has promoted science capacity development that advances knowledge and action on critical sustainability issues. Its programs and partnerships provide opportunities for training, research, education and networking that strengthen scientific skills and inspire leadership for advancing solutions to critical sustainability challenges. For more information, please visit the following website:
https://start.org/