Press release

ESCAP TASKED WITH PROMOTING HOLISTIC GREEN POLICIES

Bangkok, United Nations Information Services (UNIS) -- There are serious problems in trying to integrate environmental considerations into economic policy making processes. They range from putting the operation on a more holistic approach to development, to serious institutional and technical constraints, scarcity of appropriately trained staff and financial resources.

These were some of the points raised in a report on the environment to the member-countries of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific at their 56^th Commission Session June 1 to 7 in Bangkok at the United Nations Conference Centre.

ESCAP is being urged to increase its activities in the area of integration of environmental considerations into economic policy making processes. ESCAP must implement the project by working closely with other international agencies in order to benefit from their expertise.

There was a need to facilitate greater capacity building in the integration of environmental considerations into economic decision making in the region through activities such as the exchange of information, the promotion of public awareness, community participation in environment-related issues and the incorporation of environmental issues in human resource development.

The forthcoming Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific, to be held in Kitakyushu, Japan from 31 August to 5 September 2000, will provide an opportunity to fully integrate environmental considerations in economic decision-making and ESCAP will intensify efforts to mainstream this process through the Conference outcomes.

To promote the active participation and contribution of everyone concerned with environment and development matters, including government officials, scientists, NGOs, business community, and civil society, the Conference will be held concurrently with several associated events, including a media symposium, an NGO symposium, a clean technologies exhibition, and a youth caucus.

Some other interesting points raised in the report:

--Women play a major role in areas such as agriculture and irrigation and for that reason deforestation, famine and drought had serious adverse effects on their opportunities for work.

-- ESCAP is promoting the North-East Asia Sub-regional Programme of Environmental Cooperation with the participation of the Democratic Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, and the Russian Federation.

-- ESCAP also plays a significant role in the assessment and development of mineral resources in North-East Asia.

-- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an important tool for the collection of data on geology and mineral resources and many countries in the region were using GIS for the assessment of mineral tracts within their lands areas. The importance of GIS was underlined especially in the integrated assessment, development and management of land and mineral resources for sustainable economic development.

-- Many countries in the Asia Pacific had made integration of environmental impact assessment, environmental legislation on air, land, water and forests; the incorporation of social aspects of environment degradation; and public awareness campaigns.