Press Release No.G/36/00
5 September 2000

Long-term view endorsed to create a win-win situation

Kitakyushu, Japan (United Nations Information Services—UNIS Bangkok) – Environment ministers ended talks today on the development of new strategies and approaches for regional cooperation for environmental protection in Asia and the Pacific.

The Ministerial Conference on Environment Development in Asia and the Pacific, 2000 ended with the adoption of a regional action programme for environmentally sound and sustainable development. The Ministers also endorsed a message to be submitted to the global 10-year review of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) scheduled to be held in 2002.

The Ministers adopted a Declaration----Vision for the 21^st Century: Ministerial Declaration on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific--- that reflects the commitment of governments in the region to reversing environmental degradation in all areas.

The Conference’s main achievement is the regional action programme for 2001 – 2005 which focuses on strategies to meet environmental challenges in eight priority areas: environmental quality and human health, biodiversity, coastal and marine environments, freshwater resources, desertification and land degradation; globalization and policy integration; climate change and sustainable energy development. The action plan proposes areas for action in each of these areas at the national, sub-regional and regional levels

The Conference reviewed the underlying causes of environmental degradation in the region, namely increasing poverty and rapid population growth.

Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of ESCAP, noted in his policy statement that “meeting basic human needs and poverty eradication are the only rational starting points for the development process…but [they] are also closely associated with many environmental problems.” Strategies to combat environmental degradation should thus involve a holistic approach incorporating both economic and social contexts and considerations.

“ This approach takes a long-term view of trends in natural resources use and environmental quality, identifies changes required to bring these trends within sustainable limits and establishes a management framework including measurable targets. It will help in avoiding long-term economic and social costs and identifying win-win situations,” Mr. Kim said.

The special focus of the Ministerial Conference was “Development of a new paradigm of sustainable development for Asia and the Pacific in the 21^st century”. As noted in many of studies presented here, environmental degradation continues unabated on virtually all fronts in the region despite past efforts.

Another important outcome of the Conference is the Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment. The Initiative is based on the experiences of the host city, Kitakyushu, which is well known for its urban environmental rehabilitation. The Kitakyushu Initiative will explore areas where the experiences of the city can be replicated and shared with other urban centers of the region.

Representatives from 42 countries attended the Conference, which is the fourth in a series of ministerial-level environment conferences held in the region every five years since 1985. Representatives of UN agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations also attended.

The conference was organized by ESCAP in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank. The Government of Japan was host of the Conference together with the local governments of the City of Kitakyushu and Fukuoka Prefecture.

As this will be the largest regional gathering of environment ministers in advance of the Rio+ 10 review session, Ministers reached a consensus on a regional message to be submitted, and welcomed the Government of Indonesia’s offer to host the review session. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held in Rio de Janiero in 1992.

Mr. Rezaul Karim, Chief, Environment Section, Environment and Natural Resources

Development Division (ENRDD), ESCAP, United Nations Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Tel: (66 2) 288 1614 or 288 1770, Fax: (66 2) 288 1025 and 288 1059, Email address: karim.unescap@un.org.

Mr. David Lazarus, Chief, UNIS Bangkok, ESCAP, United Nations Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Tel: (66 2) 288 1866 Fax: (66 2) 288 1052, Email: unisbkk.unescap@un.org.

Mr. Kawaji Mitsutaka, MCED/ECO ASIA, Kitakyushu Secretariat, 11^th Fl., 1-1 Jonai, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu 803-8501, Japan. Tel: (81 93) 582 3230, Fax: (81 93) 571 0160, Email: kawaji@convention.co.jp.

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