MOE > Global Environment > International Environmental Cooperation HOME > Efforts in Various Areas > Natural Environment / Biodiversity
Ministry of the Environment conducts conservation of the natural environment in the most suitable way for each type of area including intact nature in developing regions, etc.as well as nature found in human settlements.It implements various measures including promoting people's interaction with nature, biodiversity conservation, the protection and management of wildlife and the promotion of international efforts.
The table below briefly introduces major cooperation projects.
| Name of Measures (Budgets) | East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII) (ESABII :East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative) |
|---|---|
| Outline | With the participation of East and Southeast Asian countries and related organizations, the Initiative promotes the compilation and provision of biodiversity information that is immediately available for the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and conservation measures in each country. The Initiative also promotes the implementation of capacity development programs for taxonomy. |
| Countries/Regions subject to the measures |
Asia |
| Progress and achievements | Established in 2009. 14 countries, 3 related organizations, and 2 networks are participating as members.
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| Division in charge | Nature Conservation Bureau, Biodiversity Center of Japan |
| Relevant website | East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII) [New window opens] |
| Last updated | March, 2017 |
| Name of Measures (Budgets) | International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) and Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) East Asia Workshop |
|---|---|
| Outline | ICRI promotes the formulation of a continued international cooperation structure for the conservation of coral reefs and related ecosystems, and efforts of the regional analysis of coral reef monitoring data in the East Asia region. |
| Countries/Regions subject to the measures |
Countries throughout the world |
| Progress and achievements | International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), an international framework for the conservation of coral reef ecosystems, is a voluntary initiative carried out by government organizations, international organizations, NGOs and others. ICRI was derived from the U.S.-Japan Common Agenda and its establishment was announced at the First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1994. Japan has proactively participated in ICRI since its establishment and served as the ICRI Secretariat from 2014 to 2016 jointly with the Kingdom of Thailand. At the general meeting held in Okinawa in FY 2014, a "resolution on promoting an integrated approach to community-based coral reef conservation and management emphasizing land-sea connectivity" was adopted, and it was determined that reports on best practices would be compiled. With the adoption of the resolution, Japan, the ICRI Secretariat, collected and compiled examples of efforts made by various countries, and reported them to the general meeting held in Thailand in FY 2015. A collection of best practices has been published on the website and through SNS. In order to further understand the current state of coral reefs and any past changes by monitoring data analysis, the Northeast Asia region to which Japan belongs and the adjacent Southeast Asia region cooperated to examine regional analysis of coral reef monitoring data in East Asia region. The "GCRMN East Asia Regional Meeting" was held in Singapore in February 2017, attended by the GCRMN domestic coordinators from 7 countries. Agreement was reached on two points: 1) to analyze the variation of coral reefs in East Asian countries, particularly those where monitoring data is relatively easily collectable by compiling each country's monitoring data and using statistical analysis model; and 2: to collect monitoring data from other East Asian countries in 2018-2019 and conduct comprehensive analysis of the East Asian region together with the data of the countries that conducted the trial analysis. Finally, participants considered the construction of a database for collected monitoring data, and the provision of data for global analysis combined with other regions. |
| Division in charge | Biodiversity Policy Division, Nature Conservation Bureau |
| Relevant website | Website of ICRI (English) [New window opens] |
| Last updated | March, 2017 |
| Name of Measures (Budgets) | Contribution to the United Nations University (Project for implementing activities under the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative) |
|---|---|
| Outline | Contribute to the implementation of activities under the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative toward the realization of societies in harmony with nature |
| Countries/Regions subject to the measures |
Asian countries and other countries throughout the world |
| Progress and achievements | The IPSI partnership constitutes of 202 organizations including 16 government organizations as of March 2017. The IPSI Asia Regional Conference is scheduled to be held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in April 2017. |
| Division in charge | Global Biodiversity Strategy Office, Biodiversity Policy Division |
| Relevant website |
|
| Last updated | March, 2017 |
| Name of Measures (Budgets) | Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP) |
|---|---|
| Outline | APAP facilitates collaboration on protected areas management in Asia. |
| Countries/Regions subject to the measures |
Asia |
| Progress and achievements | APAP aims to promote sharing best practices and innovative solutions for issues facing protected areas among national and sub-national governments in Asia. In response to the call for its establishment at the First Asia Parks Congress held in Sendai City, Japan in November 2013, APAP was formally established at the Sixth World Parks Congress held in Sydney, Australia in November 2014. Japan and IUCN Asia Regional Office (the APAP Secretariat) are currently serves as the first co-chairs. In February 2017, the second APAP Workshop on Cooperative Management of Protected Areas was held in Hakone, Japan under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. |
| Division in charge | National Park Division, Nature Conservation Bureau |
| Relevant website | Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP) [New window opens] |
| Last updated | March, 2017 |
