Natural capital assets, such as forests and farmlands, are the basis for sustainable development in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and investment is needed to protect and enhance them.

This was the agreement reached by environment ministers from the 6 countries in the GMS (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, China, Thailand and Viet Nam) who recently attended the Fourth GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting in Myanmar.

An article on the website of the International Institute for Sustainable development (IISD) reports that the ministers called for strong partnerships to raise awareness of natural assets, and highlighted the need to ensure that sustainability considerations inform policy and planning.

A document prepared for the meeting outlined how current development approaches in the GMS have led to large-scale degradation of natural capital. It recommends measures to address this, such as supporting the development of legal and institutional systems, building capacity to make use of tools such as natural-capital accounting, valuation and strategic environmental assessment, and targeting high-priority landscapes for public and private sector investment.

The GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting takes place every 3 years and serves to direct investments made under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) GMS Economic Cooperation Programme.

Read the full story: GMS Countries Call for Investment in Natural Capital Assets

Download the meeting document: Investing in Natural Capital for a Sustainable Future in the Greater Mekong Subregion