The Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment
The Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment was first adopted in September 2000 during the 4th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific (MCED) held in Kitakyushu City, Japan. Its primary mandate is to achieve tangible progress in improving urban environment in Asia and the Pacific region under the direction of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) with primary funding support from the government of Japan, secretariat support from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and with participation of a number of local, national and international partners.
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.
The programme promotes local initiatives targeting control of air and water pollution, minimization of all kinds of wastes, taking selected technical, institutional, regulatory and participatory measures. Since its implementation in 2000, it has promoted the development of realistic and flexible environmental management approach through demonstration projects, sharing information on policy, financial and technological options that are effective in the region through seminars and trainings, improvement of local capacity and to ensure multi-stakeholder partnership for promoting environmental sustainability.
The Kitakyushu Initiative Network was also established to expand partnership and cooperation amongst cities in the region and promote exchange of information. The Network currently comprises more than 60 cities from 18 ESCAP member countries.
Current Cycle (2006-2010)
Following five years of successful implementation, the Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment was extended for a second cycle, based on the review and recommendations arising from the fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific (MCED 5), held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in March 2005.
In line with the overarching programme framework for ESCAP that was adopted at MCED 5, i.e. promoting environmentally sustainable economic growth, or Green Growth, the current cycle (2006-2010) focuses on strengthening national and regional mechanisms to promote an integrated approach to local environmental management, and for replicating and scaling-up successful practices. Particular attention is given to enhancing the political priority and financial feasibility of environmental protection measures, by highlighting environmental and socio-economic co-benefits and identifying self-reliant financial mechanisms.
Download the Kitakyushu Initiative Brochure
For more information about the Kitakyushu Initiative please visit the website at: http://www.iges.or.jp/kitakyushu/
