Mr. LI Yong, Director General of UNIDO and Chairperson of the UNIDO-UNEP Green Industry Platform, recently gave an interview

Mr. LI Yong, Director General of UNIDO and Chairperson of the UNIDO-UNEP Green Industry Platform, recently gave an interview to Making It magazine about the concept of Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID), which was the focus of the 15th Session of the UNIDO General Conference, held in December 2013.

In outlining his vision, LI emphasized the need for cleaner and more resource-efficient means of production: “For the meaning of ‘sustainable’ in this context, we are clear that industry generates the wealth needed to address critical social and humanitarian needs. At the same time, however, it is also clear that this growth must urgently be decoupled from increased raw material use and negative environmental impacts. As a key driver of this growth, industry must play its part by becoming significantly cleaner and vastly more energy and resource efficient, to guarantee the health, prosperity and security of our peoples.”

LI further noted that a multi-stakeholder partnership approach is instrumental in creating the required enabling environment to effectively bring about sustainable development:

“In addition, we need to develop stronger partnerships to make our development impact even bigger. This means further expanding the strategic partnerships that we have now with our member states, with the UN family members, and also with private sector companies, with whom we are developing the Green Industry Platform and many other important programmes.”

To read the full interview, please visit: www.makingitmagazine.net/?p=7934