Press Release
September 30, 2024
- Global Environment
Results of the 25th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among Japan, Korea and China
The 25th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among Japan, the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China (TEMM25) was held on September 28 and 29 in Jeju, Korea. From Japan, ITO Shintaro, Minister of the Environment, participated in the meeting.
At the meeting, views were exchanged on future environmental cooperation in actions to address climate change, biodiversity, plastic pollution and other issues, and the Joint Communiqué was adopted.
Minister ITO also had bilateral meetings with the respective environment ministers of China and Korea, and had discussions on further strengthening cooperation.
At the meeting, views were exchanged on future environmental cooperation in actions to address climate change, biodiversity, plastic pollution and other issues, and the Joint Communiqué was adopted.
Minister ITO also had bilateral meetings with the respective environment ministers of China and Korea, and had discussions on further strengthening cooperation.
1. Date
September 28 and 29, 2024
2. Venue
ICC Jeju, Jeju, Korea
3. Key participants
Japan: ITO Shintaro, Minister of the Environment of Japan
Korea: H.E. Mr. KIM Wansup, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea
China: H.E. Mr. HUANG Runqiu, Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China
Korea: H.E. Mr. KIM Wansup, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea
China: H.E. Mr. HUANG Runqiu, Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China
4. Outline of the 25th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among Japan, Korea and China (TEMM25)
・The 25th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among Japan, Korea and China (TEMM25), chaired by H.E. Mr. KIM Wansup, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea, was held in-person as was the 24th meeting last year. Environment Ministers of the three countries exchanged views on key environmental policies of each country, including climate change measures, contributions to the upcoming UNFCCC COP29, measures for air pollution such as PM2.5 and Dust and Sand Storms (DSS), implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and measures for invasive alien species such as fire ants, measures for plastic pollution, and initiatives for circular economy. The Ministers also reviewed progress in implementing the Tripartite Joint Action Plan adopted at TEMM22 and agreed to include plastic pollution and other environmental issues in priority areas of the next-term Joint Action Plan to be adopted next year. Based on the discussions, the Joint Communiqué (refer to below Attachment) was adopted and signed by the Ministers of the three countries.
・Minister ITO also had bilateral meetings with the respective Environment Ministers of China and Korea and exchanged views on climate change, biodiversity including measures for fire ants, plastic pollution and other environmental issues, and affirmed continued cooperation on these issues.
・As for ALPS treated water, Minister ITO explained that Japan has confirmed no adverse impact on human health and the environment, and that Japan intends to enhance long-term international monitoring under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
・An awards ceremony for outstanding contributions to trilateral environmental cooperation was also held. From Japan, Dr. CHATANI Satoru, Chief Senior Researcher of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, was awarded for his contribution including the latest research report on emissions and effects of measures of photochemical oxidants and their causal substances, NOx and VOC.
・As side events, the Youth Forum, which aims to increase environmental awareness, promote common understanding and build partnerships among young people in the three countries, and the Tripartite Roundtable on Environmental Business (TREB) were held. Representatives of the youth and TREB reported the results of the forum to the ministers’ meeting.
・Minister ITO also had bilateral meetings with the respective Environment Ministers of China and Korea and exchanged views on climate change, biodiversity including measures for fire ants, plastic pollution and other environmental issues, and affirmed continued cooperation on these issues.
・As for ALPS treated water, Minister ITO explained that Japan has confirmed no adverse impact on human health and the environment, and that Japan intends to enhance long-term international monitoring under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
・An awards ceremony for outstanding contributions to trilateral environmental cooperation was also held. From Japan, Dr. CHATANI Satoru, Chief Senior Researcher of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, was awarded for his contribution including the latest research report on emissions and effects of measures of photochemical oxidants and their causal substances, NOx and VOC.
・As side events, the Youth Forum, which aims to increase environmental awareness, promote common understanding and build partnerships among young people in the three countries, and the Tripartite Roundtable on Environmental Business (TREB) were held. Representatives of the youth and TREB reported the results of the forum to the ministers’ meeting.
5. Outline of the Joint Communiqué
<Response to the Environmental Crisis and Challenges>
The Ministers reaffirmed their commitments to strengthen measures to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution in light of their respective national circumstances; accelerate the transformation towards green low-carbon development / the net zero economy and society / the carbon-free society; and pursue efforts to improve global environmental governance.
<Biodiversity>
The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the swift, full, and effective implementation of all goals and targets of KMGBF, by taking urgent actions, through the implementation of their revised and updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). They shared the recognition that invasive alien species pose an urgent issue in East Asia, and confirmed to continue cooperation and share information on the countermeasures and the best practices.
<Climate Change>
The Ministers reaffirmed the Joint Declaration of the 9th ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit, which decided that the three countries will take solid action and support efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature goal to address the climate crisis in this critical decade, and the three countries will come forward with ambitious next Nationally Determined Contributions. The Ministers expected that substantial progress will be made at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP29) including in the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
<Plastic Pollution>
The Ministers committed to playing a constructive role in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, with the ambition of completing its work at its fifth session (INC-5) which will be held in Busan, Korea, in November 2024. They acknowledged the significance of strengthening scientific, technical and technological knowledge with regard to plastic pollution, inter alia, on methodologies for monitoring.
<Air Quality in the Region>
The Ministers encouraged the three countries to strengthen cooperation with Mongolian agencies to address dust and sand storms (DSS).
<Trilateral+X>
Ministers shared the willingness to continue to explore possible “Trilateral+X” cooperation in such areas as climate change and marine environmental conservation. They reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and expected close cooperation among the three countries at upcoming major regional and global environmental conferences, including the UNFCCC COP29, CBD COP16, INC-5 and relevant G20 meetings.
<Priority Areas for the Next Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation>
The Ministers discussed the new priority areas with which the next Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation for the period from 2026 to 2030 (TJAP 2026-2030) will be shaped. They agreed on the following priority areas:
Improving Environmental Qualities
(1) Air Pollution & DSS
(2) Biodiversity
(3) 3R/Circular Economy/Zero Waste City & Plastic Pollution
Promoting Carbon Neutrality and Green Economy
(4) Climate Change
(5) Transition to Green Economy
Enhancing Environmental Welfare
(6) Environmental Education & Awareness
(7) Environmental Management of Chemicals
(8) Living Environment
〈TEMM26〉
The Ministers decided that TEMM26 will be hosted by China in 2025.
The Ministers reaffirmed their commitments to strengthen measures to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution in light of their respective national circumstances; accelerate the transformation towards green low-carbon development / the net zero economy and society / the carbon-free society; and pursue efforts to improve global environmental governance.
<Biodiversity>
The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the swift, full, and effective implementation of all goals and targets of KMGBF, by taking urgent actions, through the implementation of their revised and updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). They shared the recognition that invasive alien species pose an urgent issue in East Asia, and confirmed to continue cooperation and share information on the countermeasures and the best practices.
<Climate Change>
The Ministers reaffirmed the Joint Declaration of the 9th ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit, which decided that the three countries will take solid action and support efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature goal to address the climate crisis in this critical decade, and the three countries will come forward with ambitious next Nationally Determined Contributions. The Ministers expected that substantial progress will be made at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP29) including in the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
<Plastic Pollution>
The Ministers committed to playing a constructive role in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, with the ambition of completing its work at its fifth session (INC-5) which will be held in Busan, Korea, in November 2024. They acknowledged the significance of strengthening scientific, technical and technological knowledge with regard to plastic pollution, inter alia, on methodologies for monitoring.
<Air Quality in the Region>
The Ministers encouraged the three countries to strengthen cooperation with Mongolian agencies to address dust and sand storms (DSS).
<Trilateral+X>
Ministers shared the willingness to continue to explore possible “Trilateral+X” cooperation in such areas as climate change and marine environmental conservation. They reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and expected close cooperation among the three countries at upcoming major regional and global environmental conferences, including the UNFCCC COP29, CBD COP16, INC-5 and relevant G20 meetings.
<Priority Areas for the Next Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation>
The Ministers discussed the new priority areas with which the next Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation for the period from 2026 to 2030 (TJAP 2026-2030) will be shaped. They agreed on the following priority areas:
Improving Environmental Qualities
(1) Air Pollution & DSS
(2) Biodiversity
(3) 3R/Circular Economy/Zero Waste City & Plastic Pollution
Promoting Carbon Neutrality and Green Economy
(4) Climate Change
(5) Transition to Green Economy
Enhancing Environmental Welfare
(6) Environmental Education & Awareness
(7) Environmental Management of Chemicals
(8) Living Environment
〈TEMM26〉
The Ministers decided that TEMM26 will be hosted by China in 2025.
Please refer to the following website for details of TEMM meetings.
https://tcs-asia.org/en/cooperation/overview.php?topics=15
Attachment
・ Joint Communiqué of the 25th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting Among Korea, China, and Japan (TEMM25)
Attachment
・ Joint Communiqué of the 25th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting Among Korea, China, and Japan (TEMM25)
