EuropeAid Cooperation Office appreciates SWITCH-Asia approach

Dirk Meganck, Director of the EuropeAid Cooperation Office, sees strong reasons for implementing the SWITCH-Asia approach: "SWITCH-Asia was born out of the need to address issues like poverty alleviation, creation of green jobs, climate change mitigation and improved health standards. In a nutshell, the programme aims to 'switch' from unsustainable to sustainable patterns of development in Asian countries.

Mr. Meganck added: "During the preparation of the current EU-Asia regional co-operation strategy for 2007-2010, it emerged that demographic pressures, rapid economic growth and poorly enforced environmental protection measures, had all been putting the environment under increasing pressure and leading to an unsustainable use of natural resources. The SWITCH-Asia programme was designed as a result, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where there is great potential to contribute directly to poverty alleviation, creation of green jobs and reduction of climate change impacts.

Industrial production, agricultural techniques and deforestation are increasing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution in Asia, with most of the related economic activities being undertaken by SMEs. If increasing number of SMEs can make a switch to more resource efficient ways of production and emit less waste and pollution, then the living conditions of poor households can be substantially improved and innovative business solutions can emerge. This also means savings on resources and a move to green and low-carbon growth, not to mention the improved access to the supply chains of multinational companies that seek to apply green and fair-trade standards within their value chains.

SWITCH-Asia supports the sharing of knowledge and development of local capacities for scaling-up responsible business practices within global and local value chains. The European Commission would like to encourage all applicants and project partners in the SWITCH-Asia programme to consider how they can link environmental, social and economic objectives in their project design and implementation, to promote sustainable development worldwide and a better future for the next generations."