Lessons from Laos on Green Economy and Sustainable Development

The Laos pavilion at the 2025 Osaka Expo spotlights agriculture, eco-tourism, and clean energy.

Since it opened its doors on April 13, the Osaka Expo 2025 has become a global platform for participating nations to showcase both culture and innovation. With the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” the Expo has allowed millions of visitors to discover and learn how the different nations of the world are working to build a more sustainable future for everyone. 

The Laos pavilion, which is located in the Savings Lives Zone of the Expo, is one of the pavilions that highlight how green economy and sustainable green development are key to building a better future. 

At its heart is an exhibit on the National Green Growth Strategy of the Lao PDR till 2030, which demonstrates Laos’ commitment to economic development, environmental protection, and social development. 

Green and Sustainable Agricultural Development 

The exhibit highlighted key areas the strategy focuses on—one of which is the agricultural sector. 

The agriculture sector, which includes cultivation, livestock raising, and fishery, has been identified by Laos as a focus or priority sector, according to the National Green Growth Strategy of the Lao PDR.

Laos aims to develop agriculture into a sector that not only creates employment and income, but also reduces poverty, decreases social inequality, and minimizes vulnerability to natural disasters and global economic instability.

To achieve this, the Laos government intends to implement the following measures:

• Make production more efficient through the use of clean and environment-friendly techniques and technologies
• Improve and expand agricultural infrastructure 
• Lessen the pollution and waste produced by agricultural production
• Equip producers with necessary skills and knowledge that will ensure improved techniques and efficient production
• Enhance control of the production, import, distribution and use of chemicals that are dangerous to humans, animals, and the environment
• Encourage and promote clean and organic agricultural production

Eco-Tourism 

Laos’ National Green Growth Strategy also focuses on eco-tourism. In its Expo 2025 pavilion, the country emphasizes the need to align the promotion of eco-tourism with the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. 

Laos reports having around 1,331 eco-tourism sites as of 2018.

According to the National Green Growth Strategy official document, Laos’ tourism potential hasn’t been fully utilized, particularly the eco-tourism potential. Data from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism suggests that only about 20% of the total tourism sites are developed, operational, and providing services.

As part of the strategy, Laos has outlined the following steps to further promote eco-tourism:

• Advertise and disseminate the historical, cultural, and eco-tourism sites in order to ensure that they are widely known globally
• Improve the quality of tourism services as well as services of related sectors 
• Coordinate with business units in the tourism sector to ensure the economical use of energy and the use of clean and environmentally-friendly products
  • Public works and transport sector to improve access roads to tourism sites
  • Agricultural and handicraft sectors to promote the production of food and souvenir products
  • Cultural sector to develop diverse cultural tourism activities

Green Industrial Transformation 

Laos’ Expo 2025 pavilion also highlights green industrial transformation as a key focus area of the National Green Growth Strategy. Part of this is promoting clean energy development and recycling.

The strategy specifically puts emphasis on encouraging both the public and private sectors to invest in the production of hydroenergy, solar energy, and wind energy.

In addition, it advocates for the decreased dependence on energy that is “not clean and not environmentally-friendly.”

The Expo 2025 highlights ongoing projects, including waste-to-energy projects that promote environmental sustainability and economic efficiency. Laos also has a wastewater treatment project in its capital, Vientiane, that seeks to improve urban wastewater management and environmental health. 

Key Takeaways for the Philippines

While Laos is a landlocked country and the Philippines is an archipelago, the two Southeast Asian nations share a lot of similarities. The Philippines can emulate Laos’ example by setting similar objectives and action plans as seen in the National Green Growth Strategy of the Lao PDR.

Upgrade agriculural production processes

Like Laos, the Philippines is heavily dependent on its agricultural sector, which is in need of assistance and support from both the government and private sector. By implementing similar strategies, the Philippines can make agricultural production more efficient and sustainable while supporting the livelihood of producers. This will be beneficial for the Philippine economy and lessen the country’s dependence on agricultural imports. 

Protect and promote eco-tourism sites

Laos’ dedication to eco-tourism and its promotion and protection is something that the Philippines can also put into practice. The proper promotion and maintenance of sites such as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park not only preserves the environment, but also boosts the income tourism generates for the economy. 

Invest in clean energy

Lastly, the archipelagic nature of the Philippines makes it possible for the country to explore and utilize sustainable forms of energy. Both the Philippine government and the private sector should study and invest in clean sources of energy in order to lessen damage to the planet and ensure sustainable supply for generations to come.  

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