The Forum on Green Economy and Green Growth, held in Myanmar from 1st to 4th of November 2011, can be seen as a valuable step towards international openness of the new government. It was the first Conference of its kind in the country and evoked international recognition. The main conference, taking place in Nay Pyi Taw for two days, was officially opened by U Win Tun, Minister for Environmental Conservation and Forestry. This part of the forum provided an overview of green growth and global development trends, global green cooperation possibilities and opportunities for Myanmar. International experts from eight countries presented their experiences and strategies and pointed out possible alternatives for Myanmar. Among the attendants were Dr Rajendra Pauchauri, director general of the New Delhi-based Energy Resource Institute and chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Mr Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister for Environment and International Development; and Mr Vijay Nambiar, a special advisor to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. HSS fulfilled an important role in the main conference having supported both capacity building and preparation of the event in advance and giving presentations during the forum.

Organized field trips offered the participants the possibility to visit different places in Myanmar. The gained insights were discussed on the last two days of the Green Economy and Green Growth Forum in Yangon. After debating the experiences and relating them to the previous lectures, Aung San Suu Kyi attended the closing session. Both the Nobel laureate and the other participants appreciated the efforts of the government, but also highlighted the need for further reforms.