..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 18 January 2006
Note to Editor No: N/01/2006

MAJOR UN MEETING ON ENERGY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR POLLUTION

Bangkok (UN Information Services) -- The 19-20 January UN Regional Implementation Meeting (RIM) for Asia and the Pacific will focus on energy use, industrial development, air pollution and climate change.

The 2006 Asia-Pacific RIM at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok will make major inputs for the fourteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in May.

UNESCAP Executive Secretary Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Director of the CSD Secretariat and Division for Sustainable Development Ms. JoAnne DiSano, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Royal Thai Government, H.E. Mr. Kitti Limskul, Vice-Chair of CSD, Mr. Javad Aminmansour, Islamic Republic of Iran will join over 100 representatives from government and non-government organizations from across the region.

The current pattern of economic growth poses a major threat to environmental sustainability in Asia and the Pacific region. The challenge is how to continue economic growth for poverty reduction without compromising environmental sustainability.

“The Asia-Pacific region has huge disparities in adherence to sustainable development. Despite high economic growth, the extent of poverty in many countries remains a matter of great concern,” Executive Secretary of UNESCAP Mr. Kim Hak-Su said.

“The region is experiencing serious and increasing ecological imbalances resulting in higher levels of air and water pollution, forest and coastal ecosystem degradation, soil erosion, fresh water flow alterations, and problems in solid waste management. If we fail to act now, the price we pay tomorrow will be extremely serious,” he said.

While industry and energy contribute immensely to social and economic development, they are also main contributors to environmental challenges facing the region, including climate change and deteriorating air quality.

The RIM for Asia and the Pacific for CSD-14 is being organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in collaboration with other United Nations organizations including the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

In 1992, the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro adopted some landmark agreements in an effort to promote development in countries in a manner that would not overburden the environment. In an effort to track the success of these agreements, the Commission on Sustainable Development was formed.

Please find additional information from:
http://www.unescap.org/esd/rim/
For more information on CSD please see:
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/help_faq.htm#Q1

For further information, please contact:
Mr. Rae Kwon Chung, Director
Environment and Sustainable
Development Division
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1510
Fax: +(66-2) 288-1048
E-mail: chung1@un.org

For media inquiries, please contact:
David Lazarus, Chief, UN Information Services
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1866/69
Fax: +(6602) 288-1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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