UNESCAP Prepares To Implement Johannesburg Consensus

"We will provide the crucial link between global and national levels" - Kim Hak-Su, UNESCAP Executive Secretary

BANGKOK (United Nations Information Services) -- The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) is preparing to play a major role in assisting the developing countries in the implementation of the agreements reached earlier this year at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Member and Associate Member Governments of UNESCAP are preparing to put in place, at the national level, the agreements finalized in the WSSD Plan of Implementation. UNESCAP yesterday reaffirmed its aim to work as an intra-regional coordinator, with an additional focus on regional implementation related to water and energy resources.

Access to clean water and affordable and sustainable energy resources has been identified as critical to the successful implementation of the Millennium Development Goals of ensuring environmental sustainability.

"As one of the five United Nations regional commissions, UNESCAP will seek to play a leadership role," Executive Secretary Mr. Kim Hak-Su said in his opening statement to the Fourth Session of UNESCAP Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Development being held at the United Nations Conference Centre from 19-21 November in Bangkok .

"We will promote partnerships as well as stronger regional and sub-regional cooperation," Mr. Kim said, adding UNESCAP would "provide the crucial link between the global and national levels and assist member countries in fulfilling the commitments that they made at Johannesburg."

Despite technical and financial constraints, the Asian and Pacific countries have worked to address the challenges of sustainable development in the world's most populous region, with a series of pre-Johannesburg consultative meetings leading to the adoption in November 2001 of the Phnom Penh Regional Platform on Sustainable Development for Asia and the Pacific. The Platform outlines seven key regional initiatives: capacity building for sustainable development; poverty reduction for sustainable development; cleaner production and sustainable energy; land management and biodiversity conservation; protection and management of and access to freshwater resources, oceans coastal and marine resources and sustainable development of small island States, and action on atmosphere and climate change.

Member Governments have supported UNESCAP's aim to act as this crucial link.

"The Asian and Pacific region is the most diversified in the world, in terms of economics, natural resources (and) I sincerely hope (UNESCAP) would be the major organization to play an active role in cooperation with all countries in this region in order to effectively implement the outcomes of the Summit," said H.E. Mr. Prapat Panyachatraksa, the Royal Thai Government's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

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