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KUNMING, Yunnan Province, China – July 9, 2014 – The Yunnan Academy of Economy (YAE) signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the Global Green Growth Institute that aims to accelerate the progress that Yunnan Province is making towards a resource-efficient and environmentally friendly society.

YAE is a government think tank and directly affiliated with the Yunnan Development and Reform Commission. Under the LoI, GGGI will help YAE to develop the Yunnan Green Growth Action Plan (2016 – 2020), which will provide green growth policy guidance and make recommendations for action plans and key initiatives to be pursued in the province.

“YAE warmly welcomes the support from GGGI to explore innovative mechanisms that can enable the transition to a green economy,” said Huang Yunping, President of YAE. “To achieve this ambitious goal, robust and concrete action plans are required.”

Yunnan is one of China’s most underdeveloped provinces, ranking 29th out of 31 in terms of GDP per capita. Yet, Yunnan holds enormous potential and promising prospects given its rich natural resources and biodiversity. The collaboration between GGGI and YAE will support the Yunnan provincial government to achieve its mission of restoring and enhancing ecological systems and promoting green development in Yunnan across China’s southwest.

Yunnan shares borders with Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) and Vietnam, all less developed but rapidly-growing economies. The Mekong River flows through Yunnan before continuing southwards, touching six countries. For the past decade, Yunnan has become a land bridge for trade and investment among China, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Given Yunnan’s strategic location, as well as its abundant biodiversity and unique multi-ethnic culture, a tailor-made green growth plan in Yunnan can serve as tan example for other “biologically rich but economically poor” countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

About GGGI

Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization founded to support and promote a new model of economic growth known as “green growth.” The organization partners with countries to help them build economies that grow strongly and are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change. GGGI’s experts are already working with governments around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions.

To learn more, see www.gggi.org and visit us on Facebook and Twitter.