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Asia-Pacific Publications Catalogue 2011

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Regional follow-up to the world summit on sustainable development in asia and the pacific

Author(s): Environment and Development Division (EDD)

Economic Sector(s): (1) Policies, planning and legislation

ESCAP Reference No.: ST/ESCAP/2289

Division/Office: Environment and Development

Published Date: 24 December 2003

Country: {Non-country Specific Publication}

Hard Copy Price: N/A

The World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, South Africa in August-September 2002, recognized that sustainable development of the globe was critically dependent upon achieving sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development determined that: “Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the Summit should be effectively pursued at the regional and subregional levels, through the regional commissions and other regional and subregional institutions and bodies”. Consequently ESCAP decided to take the lead in preparing an analytical document on regional follow-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific. A comparative study of the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and the High-level Regional Meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Phnom Penh in November 2001, which adopted the Regional Platform on Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific, and other relevant forums reveals that the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development supports the initiatives suggested in the Regional Platform and they have similar thematic priorities and policy prescriptions. However, there are a few gaps or missing links. The Regional Platform seems to be somewhat deficient in emphasizing the protection of human health, both as a theme and in policy prescription. Greater emphasis should also be laid on regional cooperation, particularly among the key actors in implementing the regional follow-up action, such as ESCAP, UNEP, UNDP and ADB. A third gap is in financing sustainable development which must be resolved one way or the other in order to achieve sustainable development in the region. A comprehensive analysis of policies and priorities in environment and sustainable development areas identified by various global and regional organizations and institutions has been undertaken. On the basis of this and keeping in view the Regional Platform, the publication has suggested a limited number of subregional initiatives. This is based on the following premises: (a) each member Government shall develop/implement its own national sustainable development strategy based on the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development; (b) the subregional initiatives should keep in view the recommendations of the Regional Platform and (c) the subregional initiatives are not a wish list of projects but are based on planned or ongoing activities with indications of financial and technical support from major partners for promoting subregional cooperation among member Governments, such as ESCAP, UNEP, UNDP and ADB. The subregional initiatives suggested in the publication are as follows: (a) Central Asia: (i) Regional Environmental Action Plan for Central Asia; and (ii) integrated water resources management; (b) North-East Asia: (i) Cleaner production; (ii) transboundary air pollution, including abatement of dust storm; and (iii) desertification and land degradation; (c) South Asia: (i) Poverty reduction and food security; (ii) natural disaster mitigation; and (iii) public awareness and participation; (d) South-East Asia: (i) Sustainable Development of urban areas; (ii) Globalization and its impacts; and (iii) Strategic Environment Framework for Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS); and (e) South Pacific: (i) Pacific Regional Environment Strategy; and (ii) protection and management of coastal and marine ecosystems.