On 9 December 2024, UNU will host “Investing in ESG and the SDGs to Solve Social Issues ”, a BIG IDEAS Dialogue with Prof. Shunsuke Managi, Distinguished Professor & Director of Urban Institute, Kyushu University. This hybrid event (online and in-person) will start at 18:00 on Zoom and in the 12F Meeting room at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo.
Since 2014, Professor Shunsuke Managi has been promoting a new growth indicator, the Inclusive Wealth Index, which, for the first time, incorporates variables such as nature, education, and health, through his contribution to the United Nations Environment Programme's report, "Inclusive Wealth Report", as one of its lead authors. Based on the concept of ‘Beyond GDP’, the indicator measures and comprehensively assesses a country's overall wealth, such as infrastructure, health, education and nature, which cannot be measured in terms of traditional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or other indicators.
The report highlights the fact that not only economic aspects but also environmental, health, and educational growth are critical for regional and national development. These elements of inclusive growth contribute significantly to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Prof. Managi will join UNU Senior Vice-Rector Sawako Shirahase to discuss the need for accurate assessments of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities to promote investment in industries from the perspective of the new national wealth index. The discussion will emphasize the importance of companies adopting ESG strategies tailored to regional characteristics and explore the broader significance of these strategies in the overall supply chain. Additionally, the potential for voluntary carbon credits to evolve into "natural capital credits" will be examined, focusing on their multifaceted contributions to local communities, climate change mitigation, the circular economy, and fostering nature positivity.
Registration
To attend this event in person at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo, register here: https://buff.ly/3D7Q0Rq
To attend this event online via Zoom webinar, register here: https://go.unu.edu/ZKK9B
Please note this event will be in English; Japanese interpretation will not be provided. Advance registration (by 8 December) is required. Online registrants will receive an email on the day of the event with a link to join the Zoom webinar.
For the in-person event, please be prepared to present identification at check-in.
About the Speaker
Professor Shunsuke Managi specialises in environmental economics at the Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, where his research is mainly concerned with resource management and sustainability. He also leads projects aimed at the effective use of environmental resources through international policy advocacy and cooperation with research institutions.
After completing his PhD at Kyoto University, he has been involved in a wide range of international research and policy design, with the aim of contributing to the building of a sustainable society.
