2. Strategy for green development

Myanmar’s Sustainable Development Plan 2018-2030 (MSDP) explicitly claims to align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At first glance, the plan covers the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental.

However, a closer look reveals a number of discrepancies with the SDG Agenda. The main gap appears to be in gender and inequality. While the SDGs have a strong gender focus, with SDG 5 specifically dedicated to gender equality, the MSDP considers gender as a cross-cutting issue, often lumped together with various forms of vulnerability (disability, ethnicity and poverty) 1.

The MSDP aims to address the problems of ethnic minorities primarily through economic development and social protection measures. Questions remain as to whether this is sufficient to address the long-standing challenges in the border areas, especially in light of the recent military coup, which casts a shadow of uncertainty over the country's future development path.

Myanmar is a large country, with many border areas outside the control of the government, effectively run by various local militias or ethnic groups. If the central principle of the MSDP is to “leave no one behind,” it is difficult to see how this can be achieved in a country as fragmented as Myanmar, especially in light of the ongoing unrest in the border areas, the coup, and the ongoing tensions between military and civilian authorities.

The Myanmar Climate Change Strategy 2018-2030 (MCCS) is a national-level policy document with a multi-sectoral approach. The 2030 goal is to achieve climate resilience and a low-carbon growth pathway to support inclusive and sustainable development. Six priority social, infrastructure and economic sectors have been identified: 1. Climate-friendly agriculture, fisheries and livestock for food security; 2. Sustainable management of natural resources for a healthy ecosystem; 3. Resilient and low-carbon energy, transport and industrial systems for sustainable growth; 4. Resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities and urban centres where people can live and thrive; 5. Climate risk management for people's health and well-being; 6. Education, science and technology for a resilient society.

The government had decided to implement the strategy through five pillars:

• A comprehensive policy framework to guide investments consistent with climate-resilient and low-carbon development.

• A multi-stakeholder institutional mechanism to coordinate action among actors.

• A financial mechanism to mobilize and allocate finance for inclusive investments in climate-resilient and low-carbon development.

• A framework to strengthen the capacities of actors to plan and implement climate-resilient and low-carbon development initiatives.

• A monitoring, evaluation and learning framework to guide iterative, evidence-based solutions for climate-resilient and low-carbon development.

The National Environmental Policy (NEP), launched in 2019, is expected to serve as a guide to outline detailed action plans for environmental protection and sustainable development and set the direction for the continuous implementation and improvement of relevant laws and policies. It should also lay the foundation for integrating environmental considerations into decision-making on development and economic and social activities:

(a) devise a long-term vision for environmental protection and sustainable development, underpinned by key principles of national environmental policy;

(b)provide a framework for integrating environmental protection and sustainable development into all relevant sectoral policies;

c) establish a basis for strengthening environmental governance in Myanmar.

The NEP sets out 34 guiding principles, grouped into three families:

(a) Clean environment and healthy, functioning ecosystems

(b) Sustainable economic and social development

(c) Integration of environmental protection and management