ADB Sustainable Food Webinar Series Session 2: Rural Prosperity with Carbon Neutrality and Food Security

This webinar will discuss the opportunities and challenges for achieving carbon neutrality agenda, while ensuring food security and boosting rural economy with Professor Jiahua Pan, key expert engaging in the PRC’s climate change policy and IPCC Working Group.

Description

Rural regions have the advantage of, not only the space for solar and wind as zero carbon energy, but also the potential to generate carbon neutral bio-energy. In this regard, Rural areas will lead the process towards carbon neutrality and contributes to net zero carbon in urban areas. However, rural carbon neutrality does have implications for food security as food-land-nexus complicates the interactions. In the meantime, carbon neutrality will bring opportunities for rural prosperity while food security has to be prioritized.

This webinar jointly organized by ADB’s Rural Development and Food Security (Agriculture); and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Thematic Groups; Energy Sector Group; and ADB-PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative will examine the nexus of carbon neutrality and food security in the rural areas with three questions in mind: (i) what are the opportunities and challenges for agriculture and rural areas to contribute to carbon neutrality with food security not undermined, (ii) what enabling environment is needed for agriculture and rural areas to lead the process, and (iii) what is the potential role of the government, business and development organizations in the process?

The webinar is part of ADB’s Sustainable Food Webinar Series, which aims to provide a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences on taking integrated food system approach in addressing challenges in food security, environmental sustainability and rural development.

Target Participants

The event invites representatives from the following organizations engaged in agriculture, natural resources, and rural development:

• government and intergovernmental organizations;
• multilateral and bilateral development institutions;
• private firms engaged in the agriculture and food business;
• research and development institutions, think tanks, and centers of excellence; and
• NGOs, civil society, and advocacy organizations other individuals and organizations interested and/or engaged in agriculture and natural resources.

Resource Speakers

Moderator: Qingfeng Zhang, Chief of Rural Development and Food Security (Agriculture) Thematic Group, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, ADB.

Opening Remarks: James Lynch, Director General, East Asia Department, ADB.

Presentation: Jiahua Pan, Member of the Academic Board, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

Discussants:

• Yongping Zhai, Chief of Energy Sector Group, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, ADB.
• Preety Bhandari, Chief of Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Thematic Group concurrently Director, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Division, ADB.
• Arthur Hanson, International Council Member for China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development.
• Kevin Chen, Qushi Chair Professor and International Dean, China Academy for Rural Development, Zhejiang University and Senior Research Fellow and Head of East and Central Asia Office, IFPRI.

How to Join

Online via Zoom. Meeting ID: 993 8017 1680; Password: SDTCAR21