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20 AIT SUSTAINABILITY 22 REPORT

PROTECT, RESTORE AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE USE OF TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS, SUSTAINABLY MANAGE FORESTS, COMBAT DESERTIFICATION, AND HALT AND REVERSE LAND DEGRADATION AND HALT BIODIVERSITY LOSS

nternational Day of Forests 2022 was marked at AIT by a poetry competition won by contributions from Kenya, Malaysia, and Nepal. AIT also assisted the Bangladesh government by delivering a professional training program on collaborative forest management for sustainable landscape restoration. National Wildlife Day

2022 was marked by an AIT workshop on forest carbon stocks and offsetting emissions, wildlife conservation, and ecosystem preservation. World Environment Day 2022 was celebrated at AIT through a campaign highlighting the climate, nature, chemicals and pollution.

CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS 2023 (FORESTS SPEAK) THROUGH GLOBAL POETRY COMPETITION

Duration: 21 March 2022 Description: Faculty members and students of the Natural Resources Management of the Department of Development and Sustainability at the Asian Institute of Technology celebrated International Day of Forests 2022 by organizing a poetry competition. The theme for the competition was “Forest restoration: A path to recovery and well-being.” The competition was open to everyone and aimed to raise awareness of the importance of forests and their restoration. Participants were required to submit their poems in English, and the entries were judged by a panel of experts. The winners were announced on March 21, 2022, the International Day of Forests. First prize was awarded to Lillian Wangari from Kenya for her poem “The Heart of a Forest.” Second prize was awarded to Muhammad Azizi Bin Mohd Zaini from Malaysia for his poem “The Woodsman.” Third prize was awarded to Bishal Tamang from Nepal for his poem “Hope of a Forest.” Weblink: 🌐 https://ait.ac.th/2022/04/ait-commemorates-international-

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PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM ON COLLABORATIVE FOREST MANAGEMENT (CFM) FOR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION

Duration: 12 May-10 August 2022 Description: The Sustainable Forest & Livelihood (SUFAL) Project of the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh engaged the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand for designing and coordinating a professional training program on “Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) for Sustainable Landscape Restoration,” in which the key focus was on transfer of knowledge, attitude, skills, and efficiency (KASE) among the Forestry Officials of Bangladesh in the area of CFM and its implication for landscape restoration. This training program was designed to upgrade forestry officials in their institutional and managerial capacity development on institutionalizing CFM activities, restoration of degraded forests, coastal green belt and field infrastructure, increasing access to alternative income generating activities through CFM based restoration programs, and achieving sustainability. The three-month long program included seven different modules, which were delivered through classroom sessions, hands-on activities, exposure visits to relevant project sites and communities as well as departments and organizations, group work and feedback, and finally individual research studies and action plan preparation. The participants were the forestry officials from Bangladesh who are contributing to the SUFAL project in different capacities, roles, and responsibilities. The program was coordinated by AIT Extension and was held at AIT’s Main Campus in Pathum Thani. The relevant field study visits were conducted in various provinces and covered various management practices found in different forest ecosystems in eastern, southern, and northern Thailand. Weblink: 🌐 https://extension.ait.ac.th/news/collaborative-forest-

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20 AIT SUSTAINABILITY 22 REPORT COUNTER MEASURE II: ACTIVITY 5: SUPPORTING OUTREACH AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT TO PROMOTE TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN RIVER BASIN COMMUNITIES AND THE PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AGAINST PLASTIC POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE MEKONG RIVER BASIN

Duration: January-June 2022 Description: AIT Solutions and AIT’s Entrepreneurship Center collaborated on Activity 5 of the Counter Measure II Project funded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This joint effort focuses on supporting outreach and knowledge management to promote technologies and practices for climate resilience in river basin communities. The scope of the project includes developing fact sheets

and infographics, creating outreach materials for target and other riverine communities, designing and organizing outreach campaigns and events, organizing a regional forum, incorporating data and knowledge products into a management platform, and arranging side events to enhance project visibility at national and regional conferences.

TALK ON “MANAGING AGRO-ECOSYSTEMS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE” AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SECURITY IN SOUTH ASIA

Duration: May 18-20, 2022 Description: SMARTS Center director Prof. Joyashree Roy delivered an engaging talk on “Managing Agro-ecosystems under Climate Change” at the International Conference on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia. The conference, which was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 18-20, 2022, was organized by Dhaka University in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Prof. Roy’s presentation shed light on challenges and strategies for managing agro-ecosystems in the face of climate change. The talk aimed to raise awareness and

provide valuable insights to address the interconnected issues of climate change, food security, and sustainable development. By sharing expertise and knowledge, the conference contributed to SDGs related to zero hunger (SDG 2), climate action (SDG 13), no poverty (SDG 1), good health and well-being (SDG 3), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and life on land (SDG 15). This talk served as an important outreach and public engagement effort, promoting informed dialogue and collaborative action for a resilient and sustainable future.

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AIT WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION WORKSHOP CONDUCTED

Duration: 6 October 2022 Description: The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) organized a workshop to raise awareness about United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land. The Office of Sustainable Campus (OSC) at AIT established as part of the Sustainability Task Force aims to integrate sustainability into all its operations and community members’ daily activities. The workshop showcased the richness of AIT’s ecosystem and featured talks from experts. A photo competition was also held on National Wildlife Day, with winners announced during the event. AIT President Prof. Kazuo Yamamoto commended OSC for organizing the workshop and expressed AIT’s commitment to becoming a sustainable campus. Presentations were made on topics such as forest carbon stocks and offsetting emissions, wildlife conservation, and ecosystem preservation. The workshop highlighted the importance of protecting terrestrial ecosystems, managing

forests sustainably, and combating land degradation and biodiversity loss, as outlined in SDG 15. The winners of the wildlife and ecosystem photo contest were also recognized during the workshop. Weblink: 🌐 https://ait.ac.th/2022/10/ait-wildlife-and-ecosystem-

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WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY (WED) 2022 CELEBRATION AT ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, PATHUM THANI, THAILAND

Duration: 2 June 2022 Description: World Environment Day (WED) 2022 was celebrated at the Asian Institute of Technology, Pathum Thani, Thailand on 2 June 2022. With its campaign entitled #OnlyOneEarth, this year’s World Environment Day focuses on three major themes: Climate, Nature, and Chemicals & Pollution. It calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect, and restore our planet. Truly transformative options towards sustainability need to be available, affordable, and attractive for people to make better daily decisions. Sharing the same advocacy, the Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP) organized a World Environment Day (WED) celebration to stimulate and share sustainable practices among the AIT Community. The WED celebration also paved a way for RRC.AP to partner with the School of Environment, Resource and Development (SERD), which communicated their recent research and inventions on sustainability, as well as the Office of Sustainable Campus (OSC), which campaigned for volunteers to join their team and individuals to contribute to this transformation. The opening speeches, spearheaded by AIT President Dr. Eden Y. Woon, reaffirmed AIT’s goal of becoming a sustainable campus within the next five years; Professor Vilas Nitivattananon, Dean of SERD, stressed the relevance of research and academia in addressing current environmental

concerns, while Dr. Naoya Tsukamoto, Director of RRC. AP, urged everyone to live responsibly and help heal and preserve the planet for our future generations. The event featured a Sustainable Bazar, where various AIT and external vendors offered sustainable foods and eco-friendly products through green shopping practices. Fashion and photography competitions were launched to raise awareness of textile waste and showcase climate change and biodiversity, respectively. Workshops were conducted to promote environment-friendly living, such as recycling t-shirts into shopping bags and zero-waste vegan skincare. A model sustainable kitchen and threats to biodiversity were also displayed as part of the exhibition. Weblink: 🌐 http://www.rrcap.ait.ac.th/news/Pages/vol23no2-05.aspx