About Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment
Following five years of successful implementation of the Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment, adopted by the Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and Pacific, 2000 (MCED2000), the Initiative has commenced its Second Cycle. In clear contrast with the second sectoral approach primarily taken during the First Cycle, the Second Cycle (2006 - 2010) principally focuses on the imperative need for integrated urban environmental management at the local level following the review and guidance provided by MCED5 held in 2005.
The overall objectives of the activities during the Second Cycle are to enhance the capacity of the local governments of the region by promoting the integrated win-win approaches to urban environmental management and socio-economic development. Other basic features of the Kitakyushu Initiative, as adopted by MCED 2000 will be maintained, with features including concentration in the on-site activities at the local level, encouraging benchmarking of progress, promotion of multi-stakeholder participation and partnership, dissemination and replication of successful policy options and practices, and inter-city cooperation.
The City of Kitakyushu, where MCED 2000 took place, is renowned for having successfully overcome the environmental pollution that was once very severe in its urban area, without hampering the city's economic growth. The city also has a long history of cooperation with local authorities in the Asia and Pacific region in environmental activities. Similar endeavors have now been observed in a number of cities in Asia and Pacific countries. The Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment attempts to draw lessons from the practices and experiences of Kitakyushu and other cities and put them together into a menu of effective action that could be of great use for other cities in the region.
For more information about the Kitakyushu Initiative please visit the website at: http://www.iges.or.jp/kitakyushu/
