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Promoting Regional Environmental Cooperation

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The 4th Northeast Asian Conference on Environmental Cooperation (NEAC)

19-21 September 1995, Pusan, Republic of KOREA

  1. The 4th Northeast Asian Conference on Environmental Cooperation (NEAC) was held from 19 to 21 September 1995 in Pusan Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea.The Ministry of Environmental and Pusan Metropolitan City organized the conference with the support of the World Health Organization.Participants including senior officials from central and local government and research organizations of the People's Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia and the Russian Federation, as well as representatives from the UNEP, UNDP, and ESCAP were in attendance.
  2. The conference's overriding objective was to elaborate cooperative schemes for Northeast Asian environmental problems.Participants exchanged information and views on how individual countries were dealing with certain environmental problems and how Northeast Asian countries could effectively work together to pursue regional environmental cooperation.
  3. The content and outcomes of the conference showed that there were many avenues for regional environmental cooperation in areas such as air and water pollution, waste management, and greenhouse gas emissions.Moreover, since the adoption of Agenda 21, countries have been trying to integrate domestic and international environmental concerns towards sustainable development.In this regard, participants emphasized common, but differentiated responsibility when devising and employing regional environmental strategies, since levels of economic and technological development vary from country to country.
  4. The main themes of the 4th NEAC were the roles of major groups (local governments and NGOs) to assist the implementation of Agenda 21, cooperative measures on issues associated with the transboundary movement of pollutants, each country's viewpoints and measures on the Framework Convention on Climate Change, experience and measures on toxic chemicals management, and measures for addressing urban environmental problems (sustainable cities, waste management).
  5. Roles of Local Government and NGOs
    1. Active participation and cooperation of local government and NGOs are essential for achieving the stated goals of sustainable development under agenda 21.These groups are more directly able to influence the individual consciousness and behavior of citizens, a necessary prerequisite to sustainable development.
    2. Overall, both short and long term visions for the greening of cities and the integration of development and the environment are needed by these groups to assist the implementation of Agenda 21.
  6. Cooperative Measures on the Transboundary Movement of Pollutants
    1. The transboundary movement of pollutants via air and water are of both domestic and regional significance.Several Northeast Asian countries have already struck bilateral agreements addressing marine pollution, illegal trading of wastes, etc.
    2. Cooperation is needed amongst countries to clarify issues such as the establishment of comparable databases and the creation of cooperative mechanisms.Furthermore, an action plan to address transboundary air pollution problems, based on voluntary commitments, was urged by participants.The progress on the establishment of the East Asian acid deposition monitoring network was also reported and welcomed by all participants.
  7. Viewpoints & Measures on the Framework Convention on Climate Change
    1. Accurate and comprehensive reports from countries on sources and sinks of greenhouse gases are necessary to effectively implement the Convention.
    2. Participants concluded that the complex and intertwined nature of this issue necessitates collaborative schemes on initiatives such as joint research projects and the frequent exchange of views, information and materials.
  8. Experience and Measures on Toxic Chemicals Management
    1. Countries are increasingly being exposed to toxic chemicals in their environments, due to economic development and industrialization.Thus, the labelling, classification, and environmentally sound management of these chemicals have become increasingly important to protect human health and environment.
    2. The harmonization of the classification and labelling of toxic chemicals necessitates more administrative and technical cooperation amongst neighboring countries to develop schemes for such things as integrated databases and toxic chemicals inventories.
  9. Urban Environmental Problems
    1. Human activities are usually concentrated in urban settlements, which is one of the most influential factors contributing environmental degradation.
    2. Participants acknowledged the importance of individual and collective efforts to improve the urban environment.Participation from all walks of life needs to be further encouraged in these efforts.Individuals, governments, and other sectors alike must act in a coordinated by clarifying the problems, solutions and goals related to urban environmental renewal, and then addressing them through concrete measures.
    3. Participants viewed Korea's " Volume-Based Collection Fee System for Domestic Wastes" as one good example of urban waste management to reduce and recycle wastes.In particular, this system has been implemented successfully in the host city of Pusan, which has also adopted its Local Agenda 21.
    4. Participants welcomed the suggestion that the NEAC shall play an active role in Habitat II.
  10. Recommendation for Action
    1. Participants concluded that concrete measures for regional environmental cooperation on issues of common interest were necessary.Specifically, participants acknowledged merits of formulating an Action Plan as an outcome of the conference which would entail the mutual exchange of annual reports, environmental laws, statistics, and so on.
    2. Participants agreed that a contact person should be designated by the environmental agency or ministry of each Northeast Asian country to initiate cooperative schemes for toxic chemicals management.
    3. Participants acknowledged that, with regard to cooperative schemes over Northeast Asian environmental problems, the full inclusion of all the Northeast Asian countries would be instrumental in attaining solutions to regional environmental problems.In this context, participants recognized that the participation of the Domestic People's Republic of Korea, in addition to the other participating nations of the NEAC, would enhance regional environmental cooperation.
  11. Acknowledgements
    Participants and representatives expressed their deep appreciation to Ministry of Environment of the republic of Korea and Pusan Metropolitan City for their warm hospitality and successful organization of the 4th NEAC.
  12. Next Meeting
    Participants unanimously accepted the proposal from China to host the 5th NEAC in 1996, with the exact dates and city to be decided later by the Chinese side.

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