BALI, Indonesia, (PNA/Xinhua) –Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Sunday called on all governments and stakeholders to work in partnership to promote sustainable growth with equity.
Addressing the inauguration of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Indonesia chapter and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN) Southeast Asia hub, Yudhoyono said the development model in the last century is not sustainable and must be changed.
“We can no longer afford to pursue development that would harm the nature and environment, harness the energy of carbon-based fuel without controlling its release of harmful green-house,” said the president.
Yudhoyono underlined the need to change the development course towards a more environmentally-friendly development path.
“We must harness the potential of the economic and power shifts that everyone is now discussing and have more teamwork, international cooperation and less geopolitical rivalry,” President Yudhoyono said.
In this regard, Yudhoyono said all the parties need to put minds together to further increase energy efficiency, overcome the threats to the biodiversity, fresh water and food access and create more innovations that can reduce dependence on hydrocarbons consumption.
This year’s APEC theme of “Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth” has Achieving Sustainable Growth with Equity as one of its top three priorities.
“In the framework of APEC, Indonesia is keen to mobilize the collective commitment to implement the principles of sustainable develop-ment across all sectors,” Yudhoyono said.
SDDN is a new independent global network of research centers, universities and technical institutions that aims to help find solutions for sustainable development, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced the launch UNSDSN on August 9, 2012.