4−7 March 2010, Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention Center, Indonesia

The APO completed its four-day Eco-products International Fair (EPIF), Asia’s largest international exhibition of advanced eco-technology, -products, and -services, with new records set for the most exhibitors and largest exhibition area. The EPIF 2010, the sixth in the series, was held at the Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention Center (BSJCC) in Indonesia, 4−7 March, with the theme Green Productivity to Enhance Competitiveness. It was jointly organized in close collaboration by the APO, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), and Indonesian Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration. With the enthusiastic support of the host country, a total of 90,004 visitors came to the fair, the second largest number on record.

The significance of the environmental event was reflected in the celebratory messages delivered by numerous dignitaries during the EPIF’s opening ceremony. The dignitaries including representatives of the Indonesian government and private sector along with international guests graced the ceremony and expressed their support for eco-innovation and eco-initiatives.

KADIN Vice President Rachmat Gobel opened the event, welcoming domestic and overseas guests. He was followed by EPIF 2010 Preparatory Committee Chairperson Teisuke Kitayama, who is also Chairman of the Board of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Chairperson Kitayama introduced the supporting activities of the members of the Green Productivity Advisory Committee (GPAC) and the possible roles that the financial sector can play in environmental management and conservation. Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Muhaimin Iskandar then took the stage to welcome everyone and expressed his appreciation to the coorganizers and supporters of the event. Minister Iskandar underlined the importance of the concepts of Green Productivity (GP) and competitiveness to his ministry. He noted that the GP concept promotes the incorporation of consideration for the environment into manufacturing at all levels. For improved competitiveness, he highlighted two important factors: human resources and environmental quality, noting that, “The EPIF promotes the appreciation of knowledge workers and quality of life for economic and business activity in all countries.”

APO Secretary-General Shigeo Takenaka thanked the Indonesian government for its support and commitment in hosting this landmark event. He offered special thanks to the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration and KADIN. Secretary-General Takenaka also mentioned the special significance of Indonesia’s selection as the host country for the sixth EPIF due to its economic power and ongoing environmental efforts. “We at the APO have done our best to ensure that the scale of the sixth EPIF in Jakarta matches the scale of the host country and the depth of its commitment to the environment,” he pointed out.

The newly published Eco-products Directory 2010 also debuted at the opening ceremony. The 2010 edition contains 1,000 eco-materials, -components, -products, and -services. Professor Ryoichi Yamamoto of the University of Tokyo, Japan, and Chairperson of the Committee for the Establishment of an Eco-products Database, presented the first copy to Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Radjasa, who then delivered the keynote address before announcing the official opening of the EPIF.

The enormous success of EPIF 2010 was attributed to the enthusiasm and willing participation of Indonesian enterprises, institutions, organizations, and environmental groups as well as the support of GPAC members, comprising Japanese corporations with demonstrated environmental expertise. The fair featured 119 Indonesian and 36 Japanese exhibitors along with nine exhibitors from Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, all of which combined to make this year’s fair the largest in terms of number of exhibitors. Their booths were specifically designed to demonstrate the innovativeness, competitiveness, and marketability of eco-friendly products and services. An unparalleled display of products, technologies, and activities of local exhibitors ranging from high-end manufacturing goods to traditional and cultural items added greatly to the color and excitement of the fair.

The strong support of the Indonesian government for the EPIF also meant that Minister of Industry Mohamad S. Hidayat and Minister of Environment Gusti Mohammad Hatta took time from their busy schedules to visit the fair. They encouraged the eco-initiatives of local industries and the public and expressed their appreciation to all the international and local exhibitors for their environmental efforts. The EPIF 2010 also served as the venue for launching a new eco-initiative, The Green Industry Award. Its first conferment ceremony was held at the EPIF venue, presided over by Minister Hidayat.

A four-day parallel international conference and related activities on the same theme also began on 4 March with opening remarks by Chairperson Kitayama. While the two-day international conference was open to all, the two-day site visit was only for APO international participants. Around 30 international and local speakers from high-level governmental and institutional bodies were invited, including Japan’s Administrative Vice-Minister of the Environment Hikaru Kobayashi; Deputy Director-General for Environmental Affairs for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Jun Arima; deputy ministers from Indonesian divisions and bureaus; and representatives from Indonesian ministries of Forestry and the Environment. The discussion explored low-carbon growth and the global economy; green supply chains and green procurement; and 3R policies and programs. Other topics, such as eco-finance, eco-business, and climate change were also covered by speakers from financial groups. The two-day forum was packed with some 300 international and local audience members who enthusiastically participated in each session with insightful observations and questions.

This year’s conference produced a significant outcome, the Jakarta Recommendations. The delegates and experts of the conference committee drew up a list of 10 recommendations for the Indonesian government. The signed document was officially handed over to the Minister Iskandar and APO Secretary-General Takenaka by the conference coordinator, Dr. Payaman J. Simanjuntak, at the closing ceremony of the conference.

Like its predecessors, EPIF 2010 also played host to a wide array of events and activities promoting the GP spirit. The main stage at the BSJCC Plenary Hall was filled with a constant stream of workshops, talk shows, eco-presentations, games, and classes. Three groups of special guests also visited the venue. The first was the 20-member Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation mission led by President Renny Yeo. Secretary-General Takenaka personally welcomed them to the venue and recounted the history of the EPIF and the tangible results it had generated in the five previous host countries of Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Yeo in turn shared his experiences before and during the EPIF 2006 held in Singapore. The second group was led by Tan Sri Datuk Mustafa Mansur, President of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Government of Malaysia. The last group comprised three delegates from India’s National Productivity Council (NPC), led by Director General N.C. Vasudevan, IAS. On behalf of India, the next EPIF host country in 2011, they accepted the EPIF flag from Indonesia at the handing-over ceremony. The NPC representatives promised to dedicate themselves to ensuring that the EPIF 2011 will continue the success of previous fairs. The APO hopes that the spirit of GP embodied in the pursuit of higher productivity in harmony with the environment, will spread worldwide through the EPIFs.