Mainstreaming sustainability and resilience in Infrastructure planning

Mainstreaming sustainability and resilience in Infrastructure planning

Myanmar has a unique opportunity to get its infrastructure systems right from the very beginning – ensuring it brings the much needed economic opportunities as well as benefits to people while protecting nature.

With all planned infrastructure investments coming into Myanmar, it is essential for plans to incorporate environmental information and ensure they bring benefits to local communities and in order for plans to do so, we need strong ethics to support the integration as well as willingness and interest for infrastructure related actors to be part of the solution and ensuring that Myanmar's economy and people can continue to benefit from its unique ecosystems.

This is also clearly outlined in Myanmar's Sustainable Development Plan which notes that "there is an opportunity to ensure that infrastructure is located and designed thoughtfully and constructed responsibly to ensure increased mobility for people and goods while protecting nature and reducing long-term maintenance costs."

We will be presenting:

1. Myanmar needs Infrastructure

• Transport infrastructure development is critical in connecting markets and people across Myanmar and beyond. In other countries, infrastructure development has put important natural areas and species at risk.
• Can Myanmar learn from others' mistakes and do things differently and develop infrastructure in ways that also protects its valuable forests, rivers and wildlife?

2. A Better Development Process/Upstream Planning

• The current infrastructure development process, from pre-planning to construction, presents limited opportunities to address environmental impacts and risks, at a stage when considerable resources have already been invested in a project. This makes decision makers and other actors already invested in the project far less likely to consider changes that would truly avoid major risks.
• Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive

3. Linear Infrastructure and Environmental and social Impacts

4. Financial and reputational Risks

• Time and Cost Overruns
• Stalling of Projects

5. Example of Infrastructure Projects Standards from other countries (ref: https://wwfeu.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_infrastructure_full_report_2018.pdf)

• Standard for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure (SuRe)
• ENVISION

6. Summary

7. Questions and Answers

Date: Tuesday 25th Jan, 2022

Time: 15.00 - 16.30 (Myanmar Time)

Venue: Online (Zoom Webinar)

Cost

Member - FOC

Non Member - USD 10

Access and Cancellation

You will be sent the link to attend 24 hours in advance, then again one hour before. You must pay for your ticket in advance, or you will not be sent the access link.

If you are no longer able to attend please cancel your place 24 hours in advance via email to events@britishchambermyanmar.com.