Public Policy for Sustainable Development
The theme “Public Policy for Sustainable Development” is chosen for two reasons:
• public institutions and intellectuals should re-assess their policies and roles in promoting sustainable developmen
towards the second decade of this century in view of the climate change and the unsettling global
economy, and
• INPUMA, being a leading public policy institute in Malaysia, wants to provide a suitable platform to vigourously discuss these globally inclusive issues and at the end of the conference, to provide some relevant public policy
views and recommendations.
The conference is based on 5 Important Sub-Themes:
1. Public Policy for Development
Balancing economic growth and development with pressing environmental concerns and social well being has become one of the world’s major challenges in the 21st century. It is timely to answer some key questions:
- How best to enforce natural disaster policies which can reduce the economic hardships of the people ?
- How to build the capacity and competence of an environmentally-informed workforce?
- How can public policies support companies which focus and thrive on
“green” businesses ?
2. Governing and Managing for Sustainable Development
It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage and govern organizations whilst aggressively pursuing
sustainable development. Not only would transparency, accountability and ethics feature prominently
in this consideration; new ways and methods of governing and managing should be explored to cover
the vast, complex and increasingly challenging spectrum of sustainable development.
- How can sustainable development reduce corruption and rent-seekers ?
- Should developing countries conform to accepted global norms of governing and
managing ? - What are the good models of governing and managing sustainable development ?
Human development covers a very broad canvass. It refers not only to human development but it also relates to many fields of enquiry. Since it means many things to many people, it would be pertinent to consider the following questions:
- What is the over-arching and state-of –the-art smeaning of human development and sustainability ?
- How do public institutions deal with human development and sustainability in terms of public policies ?
- How do we narrow the gap between theoretical insights and actual practice in human development ?
Science and technology can either destroy or rejuvenate the environment. What is happening at the frontiers of scientific and technological advancements in dealing with the environment should be informed to the public. What is urgently needed is an appreciation and understanding of the many
R & D works in the world today, preparing for the future. Equally important are the innovative and leading-edge ideas which underpin these efforts. Some of the questions that merit deeper discussions are:
- What are the latest developments and directions in science and technology concerning the environment?
- What is the state of scientific and technological R & D geared to sustainable development in the developing countries?
- How can public engagement be enhanced in policymaking on science, technology and the environment?
Sustainable development can influence and determine the conduct of international relations between
nations. Many multilateral agreements on the protection of the world’s environment have been signed, enforced and violated. The community of nations in international organizations have contributed much to environmental and ecological isuues. But still more needs to be done in the intersection between diplomacy, power and the search for global peace and how it will impact on sustainable development. Some of the questions worthy of serious consideration are:
- How much of foreign policy should be devoted to sustainable development?
- How do we enforce international policies on sustainable development which can benefit the people?
- How do nations, international organizations and international business negotiate the pathways to sustainable development?
