Launch of the Strategic Program for Japan Climate and Environment (SPACE) and Results of the ASEAN-Japan Environment Week to Commemorate 50th Anniversary

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change (AJMDEC), the second environment ministerial meeting between ASEAN and Japan since 2019, was held as proposed by Japan to strengthen cooperation between ASEAN countries and Japan.
In conjunction with AJMDEC, the "ASEAN-Japan Environment Week to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary" was organized, integrating environmental thematic seminars and exhibition/business matching with a view to promote top sales of environmental infrastructure overseas and to efficiently and effectively create business opportunities in the environmental sector between ASEAN countries and Japan. 

(1) Date
August 22-24, 2023

(2) Venue
Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
Hybrid format: In person at the National Convention Center and online

(3) Participants
More than 300 people (including more than 100 on-site participants), including ministers in charge of environment from Japan and ASEAN Countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, international organizations such as the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and UNDP, Lao local government, private companies, research institutions, related organizations, the Embassy of Japan in Lao PDR, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and others

(4) Co-organizers
Ministry of the Environment, Japan; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Lao People's Democratic Republic, ASEAN Secretariat

(5) Cooperating agencies
Federation of Lao National Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Lao Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Embassy of Laos in Japan, ASEAN-Japan Centre, East Asia and ASEAN Economic Research Center, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Vientiane Office, JICA Lao Office, Embassy of Japan in Lao PDR

(1) ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change (AJMDEC)
The Strategic Program for ASEAN Climate and Environment (SPACE) was proposed by Minister Nishimura and supported and welcomed by all ASEAN Ministers. It was launched at the ceremony.
SPACE is an initiative to work with ASEAN to address the triple global crises of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. It is intended to further strengthen cooperation between ASEAN countries and Japan under the on-going summit-level initiatives, such as ASEAN-Japan Environmental Cooperation Initiative proposed by Mr. Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan, in 2017, and the ASEAN-Japan Climate Change Action Agenda 2.0 proposed by Mr. Kishida Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, in 2021, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. 
The main cooperation activities under SPACE are as follows:

1. Climate Change
Transparency Partnership for Co-Innovation (PaSTI), support for the development of the Biennial Transparency Report (BTR), a supply chain for climate information disclosure, development of the ASEAN Climate Change Strategic Action Plan 2025-2030, methane reduction projects through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), development of emission reduction technologies through the ASEAN-Japan Midori Cooperation Plan, promotion of sustainable wood use through ITTO contributions, capacity building for building quality carbon markets through the Paris Agreement Article 6 Implementation Partnership, development of CCS guidelines, promotion of technology development, and the Clean City Partnership Program (C2P2), promotion of cooperation in disaster reduction through the ASEAN-Japan Disaster Reduction Action Plan, introducing of early warning systems through public-private partnerships, development of adaptation projects for vulnerable areas and capacity building on loss and damage.

2. Pollution
・ Support against Plastic Pollution
Development and implementation of national action plans including for waste management, identification of plastics in the environment, strengthening of monitoring capacity, preparation of inventories, assessment of ecological impacts of plastics, knowledge sharing and capacity building through ERIA.

・ Partnership on E-waste and Critical Minerals
Survey on the current status of E-waste, environmental improvement including legislation on E-waste treatment, efficient collection of important minerals, capacity building on E-waste recycling, and promotion of utilization of recycled important minerals.

・ Other Pollution
Promotion of water pollution, air pollution, and chemical management.

3. Biodiversity Loss
Support for the development of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) through the Japan Biodiversity Fund (JBF), capacity building, the SATOYAMA Initiative, support for implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework including measures against invasive alien species, sharing of good business practice.

(2) ASEAN-Japan Symposium on Environmental Cooperation
 The past environmental cooperation between ASEAN and Japan was reviewed and cooperative activities based on SPACE were introduced. In the panel discussion, panelists from the ministries in charge of environment in ASEAN member countries (Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Singapore, and Socialist Republic of Vietnam) discussed the past challenges and future prospects of environmental cooperation between ASEAN and Japan. The following speakers were invited for their presentations.
・ Dr. Arino Yosuke, Senior Researcher, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
・ Dr. Matsuda Emiko, Assistant Director, Climate Change Adaptation Office, General Affairs Division, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
・ Mr. Kawamura Reo, Director, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
・ Mr. Kuramoto Yosuke, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
・ Mr. Pich Sokhim, Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Cambodia
・ Mr. Hazri Hassan, International Policy Division, Ministry of Sustainability and Environment, Singapore
・ Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan, Director, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam
・ Ogawa Masako, Deputy Director-General Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
・ Dr. Takemoto Kazuhiko, President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan (OECC) (Moderator of the panel discussion)

(3) Thematic Seminars
The following nine thematic seminars, focusing on individual issues, were held with the participation of public and private sector officials from ASEAN countries to deepen discussions on technologies for solving issues and the roles and cooperation of various actors.

・ Progress review and outlook on the Paris Agreement Article 6 Implementation and JCM project development in ASEAN
・ Development of policy, institutions and mechanisms and their effective utilization for transparency of GHG emissions and mitigation in the ASEAN region -Partnership to Strengthen Transparency for co-Innovation (PaSTI) and Initiative on Fluorocarbons Life Cycle Management (IFL)
・ Climate Actions promoted by stakeholders based on long-term strategies at national and local levels towards realising decarbonised societies – Lessons from cases applying the Asia-Pacific Integrated Models (AIM)
・ How can national governments contribute to subnational climate action in the ASEAN region?
・ How Synergy can Boost Climate-SDGs actions in ASEAN and Japan
・ Regional knowledge sharing and identification of opportunities for enhanced reduction of Marine Plastics Debris (co-organized with ERIA)
・ Upstream and Downstream: plastic waste management in Laos (co-organized with ERIA)
・ Model Project for Improvement of Water Environment in Asia
・ Women leadership in climate resilience in the Mekong countries (co-organized with Oxfam)

(4) Exhibitions
To promote business matching, 15 companies and organizations from Japan, Laos, and international organizations exhibited panels during the Environment Week, introducing technologies and activities that contribute to solving environmental issues. Minister Nishimura guided H.E. Ms. Bounkham Vorachit, Minister of Lao PDR, to the exhibition booth, and Japanese companies made presentations at a reception for ASEAN ministers and other guests.
14 of these companies and organizations continue to exhibit online at the JPRSI website until September 3, 2023.

(5) ASEAN + 3 Environment Ministers Meeting
At the ASEAN+3 Environment Ministers Meeting held by ASEAN countries and Japan, China, and Korea, Minister Nishimura and ERIA shared with ASEAN countries the progress of efforts based on the ASEAN+3 Marine Plastics Debris Cooperative Action Initiative and other initiatives, and exchanged views with them.

(6) Bilateral meetings, etc.
During the Environment Week in Lao PDR, Minister Nishimura held bilateral meetings with H.E. Ms. Bounkham Vorachit, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and H.E. Ms. Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, as well as standing talks with ministers and other officials of each country.
On August 25, 2023, Minister Nishimura met in Vietnam with H.E. Dr. Dang Quoc Khanh, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. They exchanged views on future bilateral environmental cooperation, including climate change and waste, and signed the Letter of Intent (LOI) on Marine Litter management.
Minister Nishimura also visited the Waste-to-Energy facility in Bac Ninh Province that is being developed under the JCM.

For more information on the ASEAN-Japan Environment Week to Commemorate 
the 50th Anniversary, including the program, please click here.
https://jprsi.go.jp/ew2023ase/