WEM doctoral students Mr. Saurav KC, Ms. Shakthi K. Gunawardana, Ms. Pragya Pradhan, and Mr. Sanjiv Neupane participated as young panel discussants of the “Virtual Workshop: Opportunities and Challenges for a Blue Economy in Asia-Pacific Region” in Covid-19 World. The 2-day (2‒3 Feb) workshop was jointly organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The virtual workshop specifically discussed and examine the opportunities and challenges for the Asia-Pacific Blue Economy framework that impinges on regional cooperation, resource security, science, and technological cooperation, and sustainable development. The focus of the discussions was to deliberate on interlinkages and potential for cooperation in the geopolitical, economic, and sustainable development landscape of the region.
Prof. Sangam Shrestha (AIT), Dr. Swati Ganeshan (TERI), and Dr. Peter Hefele (KAS) provided their opening remarks highlighting the opportunities and challenges for the Asia-Pacific Blue Economy framework in the current global pandemic world. Mr. Saurav KC and Ms. Shakthi Gunawardana of WEM contributed to panel discussion in “Economics of Ocean in a Covid-19 World – Role of Blue Economy in Asia-Pacific Recovery” and “Role of Blue Economy for Ensuring Resource Security in Asia Pacific” respectively as a young panel discussant. Similarly, young discussant Ms. Pragya Pradhan and Mr. Sanjiv Neupane of WEM contributed to panel discussion in “Science for Ocean Development- Creating Opportunities for Scientific and Technological Innovations in the Asia-Pacific Region” and “Understanding and Integrating SDG 14 Goals in the Blue Economy Framework– Challenges, Progress and Next Steps for Asia-Pacific” respectively. The workshop ended with a concluding session from Prof. Sangam Shrestha, Dr. Swati Ganeshan, and Dr. Peter Hefele highlighting the major findings from the 2-day discussion and thanking all the participants for their active engagement.
