Events

The 12th South Asia Economic Policy Network Conference on Green Growth in South Asia

HYBRID

Join us for the 12th South Asia Economic Policy Network Conference on Green Growth in South Asia, hosted by the Office of the Chief Economist for the South Asia Region, the Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice of the World Bank and BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD). This two-day hybrid event brings together distinguished experts and thought leaders to discuss South Asia's green growth challenges and policy priorities.

This event features a keynote lecture by Distinguished Professor Warwick McKibbin (Australian National University), paper presentations, expert panel discussions, and a presentation on the main findings of the World Bank’s latest South Asia Development Update.

REPLAYS
THEME
PROGRAM AGENDA+MATERIALS
SPEAKERS

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More than two decades of sustained economic growth across most of South Asia have raised living standards and brought about significant poverty reduction. But the region is facing severe and rising environmental pollution, with major adverse impacts on health and productivity. South Asia is also very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with some South Asian countries being among those most affected by climate change-induced increase in weather shocks worldwide. Poor households and the small, informal firms in which they tend to work are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and pollution. There is a need for concerted policy action to address these challenges.
The topics of papers to be presented include:
What are the impacts of pollution, rising temperatures and extreme weather events?
Are poor segments of the population more vulnerable to these impacts and why?
How can households and firms adapt to climate change?
What factors prevent households and firms from adopting energy efficient and green technologies, and adapting to climate change?
Which public policies and interventions can help accelerate green technology adoption and adaptation to climate change?

DAY 1 | Monday, October 30, 2023
_{10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (BGD) | 12:00 AM – 7:00 AM (EDT)}

10:00 – 10:35	OPENING REMARKS · Imran Matin Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development · Abdoulaye Seck, Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, World Bank · H.E. M. A. Mannan, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Planning, Bangladesh
10:35 – 12:35	SESSION 1 \| CLIMATE CHANGE: IMPACTS AND ADAPTATIONS PART A. Paper I: Global Economic Consequences of the Physical Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Energy Author: W. B. Roshen Piumal Sachindra Fernando Paper II: Temperature Shocks, Crime, and Social Welfare Programs: Evidence from India Authors: Narbadeshwar Mishra and Mugdha Kinhikar Paper III: Distributional Impact of Cyclones on Indian Households’ Income and Consumption Authors: Pawan Gopalakrishnan, Siddhartha Nath and Saurabh Ghosh · Discussant: Munshi Sulaiman, Director of Research, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development PART B. Paper IV: Impact of Climate Change on Food Consumption Patterns in India Authors: Amlan Das Gupta, Ashokankur Datta and Ridhima Gupta Paper V: Long-run macroeconomic impact of climate change on total factor productivity - Evidence from CS-ARDL model Authors: Dibyendu Maiti and Naveen Kumar Paper VI: Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Crop Productivity and Adaptation strategies at the Farm Household Level in India Authors: Dibakar Sahoo and Mrutyunjaya Mishra · Discussant: Esha Dilip Zaveri, Senior Economist, Chief Economist Office, Sustainable Development, World Bank
12:35 – 1:35	LUNCH BREAK
1:35 – 2:35	SESSION 2 \| IMPACT OF POLLUTION Paper I: Health Implications of Air Pollution: Evidence from the Brick Sector Authors: Parul Jain and Sangeeta Bansal Paper II: The nitrogen legacy: The long-term effects of water pollution on human capital Authors: Esha Dilip Zaveri, Jason Russ, Sébastien Desbureaux, Richard Damania, Aude-Sophie Rodella and Giovanna Ribeiro Paper III: Rising above the smoke: How does clean energy impact child development in India? Authors: Sila Mishra and Priyanka Bhatti · Discussant: Ahmad Majumder, Dean & Chairman, Department of Environmental Science, Stamford University
2:35 – 2:50	COFFEE BREAK + LIGHT REFRESHMENTS
2:50 – 3:50	KEYNOTE LECTURE Presentation \| Climate Risk and the Global Economy · Warwick McKibbin, Distinguished Professor and Director, Australian National University
3:50 – 4:00	COFFEE BREAK
4:00 – 5:00	“ADDA” \| GREEN JOBS AND SKILLS IN BANGLADESH Presentation \| Green Skills to Green Industries in Bangladesh · Mokhlesur Rahman, Senior Operations Officer, South Asia Region, World Bank · Yoko Nagashima, Senior Education Specialist, South Asia Region, World Bank EXPERT PANEL DISCUSSION · Muhammed Alamgir, Acting Chairman, University Grants Commission · Imran Rahman, Vice Chancellor, University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh · Rubina Husain, Managing Director & Center Head, Institute of Hotel Management & Hospitality Moderator: Eun Joo Allison Yi, Senior Environmental Specialist, South Asia Region, World Bank
5:00	CLOSING OF DAY ONE

DAY 2 | Tuesday, October 31, 2023
_{10:00 AM – 5:35 PM (BGD) | 12:00 PM – 7:35 AM (EDT)}

10:00 – 10:20	OPENING REMARKS Day 1 Recap by Franziska Ohnsorge, Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank
10:20 – 12:20	SESSION 3 \| POLICIES FOR GREEN AND RESILIENT GROWTH PART A. Paper I: Informal Risk Sharing to Mitigate Local Environmental Risks Authors: Prabhat Barnwal, Alexander van Geen and Yiqian Wang Paper II: Assessment of Renewable Energy Choices of Rural Households Towards Achieving Goals of National Renewable Energy Policy in Bangladesh Authors: Subrata Sarker and Farzana Awlad Mredula Paper III: Pathways out of ultra-poverty: A mixed methods assessment of layered interventions in coastal Bangladesh Authors: Tasfia Mehzabin, Vidya Diwakar, Tony Kamninga, Emmanuel Tumusiime, Rohini Kamal, and Nuha Annoor Pabony · Discussant: Siddharth Sharma, Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank PART B. Paper IV: Do market-based climate policies affect economic growth? Authors: Shaikh Eskander, Sam Fankhauser and Ed Barbier Paper V: Resisting freebies; on the gradation of Indian farmer’s attitude Author: Mohammed Shameem Palengara Paper VI: Bricks to blocks: An exploratory study of a policy and practices in the construction sector of Bangladesh Authors: Md. Mohsin Hossain, Rohini Kamal, Syeda Salina Aziz, Anindya Barai and Munshi Sulaiman · Discussant: Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Associate Professor, BRAC University
12:20 – 1:20	LUNCH BREAK
1:20 – 2:20	SESSION 4 \| GROWTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT Paper I: Impact of FDI, Trade and Digitalization on CO2 Emissions: Lessons from the Asia-Pacific Developing Economies Authors: Madhabendra Sinha, Darius Tirtosuharto and Samrat Roy Paper II: Unveiling Environmentally Adjusted Total Factor Productivity Growth in India Authors: Sadhan Kumar Chattopadhyay, Sreerupa Sengupta and Shruti Joshi Paper III: Environmental Effects of Transport Electrification: Evidence from the Indian Railways Author: Vastav Ratra · Discussant: Muntaseer Kamal, Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Dialogue
2:20 – 2:50	“ADDA” \| GREEN GROWTH IMPLEMENTATION IN BANGLADESH Presentation \| Framework of Recommendations for Green Growth Implementation in Bangladesh · Eun Joo Allison Yi, Senior Environmental Specialist, South Asia Region, World Bank Remarks: Nurun Nahar, Additional Secretary, Bangladesh Planning Commission
2:50 – 3:20	COFFEE BREAK + LIGHT REFRESHMENTS
3:20 – 5:00	OVERVIEW AND PANEL DISCUSSION \| GREEN GROWTH IN SOUTH ASIA Presentation \| South Asia Development Update Oct 2023: Green Energy Transition and Green Jobs · Siddharth Sharma, Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank EXPERT PANEL DISCUSSION · Purnamita Dasgupta, Professor, Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi · Alamgir Morshed, Executive Director and CEO, Infrastructure Development Company Limited · A. K. Enamul Haque, Professor and Dean, East West University & ICIMOD · Achala Abeysinghe, Asia Regional Director and Head of Programs, Global Green Growth Institute · Dipal Chandra, Founder and Chairman, Bright Green Energy Foundation Moderator: Rohini Kamal, Assistant Professor and Research Fellow, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development
5:00 – 5:30	CLOSING REMARKS · Franziska Ohnsorge, Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank · Syed Mahfuzul Aziz, Pro Vice-Chancellor & Acting Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University
5:30	CLOSING OF DAY TWO

Remarks

H.E. M. A. Mannan
Honorable Minister, Ministry of Planning, Bangladesh

Syed Mahfuzul Aziz
Pro Vice-Chancellor & Acting Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University

Imran Matin
Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development

Abdoulaye Seck
Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, World Bank

Franziska Ohnsorge
Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

KEYNOTE

Warwick McKibbin
Distinguished Professor and Director, Australian National University

PANELISTS

Achala Abeysinghe
Asia Regional Director and Head of Programs, Global Green Growth Institute

A. K. Enamul Haque
Professor and Dean, East West University and ICIMOD

Alamgir Morshed
Executive Director and CEO, Infrastructure Development Company Limited

Dipal Barua
Founder and Chairman, Bright Green Energy Foundation

Eun Joo Allison Yi
Senior Environmental Specialist, South Asia Region, World Bank

Imran Rahman
Vice Chancellor, University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh

Muhammed Alamgir
Acting Chairman, University Grants Commission

Mokhlesur Rahman
Senior Operations Officer, South Asia Region, World Bank

Purnamita Dasgupta
Professor, Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi

Rubina Husain
Managing Director and Center Head, Institute of Hotel Management & Hospitality

Rohini Kamal
Assistant Professor and Research Fellow, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development

Siddharth Sharma
Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

Yoko Nagashima
Senior Education Specialist, South Asia Region, World Bank

DISCUSSANTS

Ahmad Majumder
Dean & Chairman, Department of Environmental Science, Stamford University

Esha Dilip Zaveri
Senior Economist, Chief Economist Office, Sustainable Development, World Bank

Muntaseer Kamal
Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Dialogue

Munshi Sulaiman
Director of Research, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development

Nurun Nahar

Additional Secretary, Bangladesh Planning Commission

Syed Mahbubur Rahman
Associate Professor, BRAC University

MODERATOR

Sarah Alam

Professional Host and Actor