On November 23, 2022, as one of the events for celebrating the fifth anniversary of Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center (LMEC), the Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative: COP27 Regional Response – Lancang-Mekong Sustainable Infrastructure and Green Value Chain Roundtable Dialogue was held in Beijing in hybrid. This roundtable dialogue was guided by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China (MEE), hosted by the LMEC/Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO), and co-hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI). Representatives from the MEE and local ecological and environmental departments, the climate and environment authorities of Mekong countries, United Nations agencies in China, relevant international organizations, and think tanks attended the meeting.

Mr. LI Yonghong, Deputy Director of LMEC/FECO, Dr. San Oo, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Myanmar, and Mr. ZHOU Jun, Director of the Department of International Cooperation of MEE, attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

Mr. LI Yonghong stated that, LMEC has adhered to the guidance of “implementing outcomes, constructing cooperatively” since its establishment five years ago, to fulfill the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Strategy and the flagship project Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative. In promoting regional climate change and eco-environment cooperation, LMEC has established a cooperation platform for exchanges and a partnership network for various stakeholders, achieving fruitful results. As negotiations on the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2027) are about to close, LMEC expects to work with all parties to strengthen exchanges and ties in low-carbon and sustainable infrastructure, green value chains, and other environmental collaborative governance areas. Under the guidance of the new strategy, we look forward to giving impetus to regional climate resilience and sustainable development, to promote the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr. San Oo expressed his congratulations to LMEC for its fifth anniversary. He also appreciated LMEC for assisting Lancang-Mekong countries to successfully implement the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Strategy through policy dialogue, capacity building, and demonstration cooperation, focusing on critical issues such as climate change and biodiversity protection. LMEC has made positive contributions to conserving the eco-environment in the region. The new strategy will continue to promote cooperation among Lancang-Mekong countries, delivering the region’s cooperation goals. This meeting focused on sustainable infrastructure and green value chains, which are crucial to the current social and environmental challenges in the Lancang-Mekong region; it will effectively promote regional exchanges and deepen cooperation in sustainable development.

Mr. Zhou Jun remarked that LMEC, as the outcome of the first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting, has achieved fruitful results in the past five years. The world is now facing challenges in economic recovery, and countries are threatened by complex and severe crises such as climate change. In this context, establishing a partnership for Lancang-Mekong sustainable infrastructure and green value chain is of practical significance to support resilient growth, environmental and climate governance synergy, and regional cooperation in responding to COP27 and global climate governance. It is expected that LMEC can further play its guiding role in regional environmental cooperation, contributing wisdom and strength to sustainable development, and jointly building a community of shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries with green development and harmonious coexistence.

The meeting focused on “Sustainable infrastructure for regional climate resilient development” and “Green value chains to enable regional climate transition”. Participants shared the phased achievements of Lancang-Mekong environmental cooperation and the progress of constructing the Lancang-Mekong Knowledge Hub for Low-Carbon, Green and Sustainable Infrastructure, and discussed good practices, cooperation opportunities, and development challenges in regional sustainable infrastructure, climate trade, and green value chains. 

At the meeting, the participants expressed their high appreciation for the progress made in the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation during the past five years. They hoped to continue to improve the construction of the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation network, jointly support investment in regional climate resilient infrastructure and development of sustainable value chains, to help the region realize the United Nations 2030 SDGs and green economic recovery.