As the key driver of Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy in Thailand, NSTDA brought the BCG economy agenda to the attention of ASEAN to promote regional collaboration for sustainable development. BCG economy is an economic model for inclusiveness and sustainable growth, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
BCG economy was among the topics presented at the 11th ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Week (ASTIW-11) hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) on 14-17 June 2021. The event focused on the implementation of ASEAN Innovation Roadmap 2019-2025 after COVID- 19 pandemic, emphasizing the effort towards a more resilient and sustainable future with greater regional collaboration, particularly on bio-, circular and green economy, food/agriculture and energy resilience as well as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. NSTDA actively participated and hosted multiple seminars around BCG theme aiming to create sustainability and security in food, health and energy.
A session on “Opportunities to Contribute in ASEAN Innovation Roadmap (AIR) and Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Post-COVID-19” was hosted by the Office of MHESI Permanent Secretary. Among invited speakers were NSTDA Executive Vice President Prof. Prasit Palittapongarnpim giving a talked on “Challenges in implementing AIR and BCG Economy post-COVID-19” and NSTDA Vice President Dr. Lily Eurwilaichitr presenting “BGC model and the R&D Activities”.
Food Innopolis-NSTDA in collaboration with Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) organized “Foresight for ASEAN Food System After COVID-19 Pandemic”. The session brought together experts to discuss future scenarios of food industry in ASEAN, with Prof. Ronald Corstanje of Cranfield University as a keynote speaker and panelists from ASEAN nations, including Professor Paul Teng of Nanyang Technological University, Dr. Hakiki Melanie of Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Ms. Nur Ilida Mohamad of Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and Dr. Akkharawit Kanjana-Opas of Food Innopolis.
Organized by Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP), “JASTIP Science and Policy Dialogue for Sustainable Development” session aimed at sharing the situation and the prospects of international and intra-ASEAN joint research with ASEAN policy makers. Among JASTIP joint labs in ASEAN, NSTDA, represented by NSTDA Senior Advisor Dr. Thumrongrut Mungcharoen, gave a presentation on JASTIP WP2 Energy and Environment Joint Laboratory.
Hosted by NSTDA, “ASEAN Moving Forward with BCG” session introduced BCG economy in the aspect of STI development, as well as discussed mutual interest within ASEAN to collaborate on STI under BCG economy theme. Experts from ASEAN and a dialogue partner joining the session included Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul (Thailand), Ms. Celia B. Elumba (the Philippine), Mr. Lim Tuang Liang (Singapore), Prof. Ocky Karna Radjasa (Indonesia) and Dr. Magnus Bengtsson (E-READI).
“Enhancing Climate Adaptation Capacity of ASEAN Energy Systems through the Concept of Energy Resilience” session was organized by ENTEC-NSTDA. Experts from ASEAN and a dialogue partner, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan, came together to share their experience and perspectives on capacity building through the concept of resilience.
In addition, a proposal to establish ASEAN Network on Bio-Circular-Green Economy (ASEAN BCG Network) by NSTDA was endorsed by the 11th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation (IAMMSTI-11). ASEAN BCG Network is expected to serve as a platform to promote collaboration among ASEAN members and between ASEAN region and international organizations in the area of capacity building, technology demonstration, technology localization, technology transfer and research collaboration under BCG economy, as well as advocate and facilitate the adoption and implementation of innovative technologies in the BCG economy in the social and industrial sectors.