Bangkok, 20 May 2015 - The inaugural Forum of Environment Ministers of Asia Pacific concluded today, agreeing on the need to step up action to tackle major environmental challenges, ranging from climate change and resource-intensive growth to health impacts of pollution.
High-level representatives of 33 Asia-Pacific countries attending the Forum also declared that the post-2015 global development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be endorsed by world leaders in a few months' time offer the region opportunities to keep its development within planetary boundaries and address inequality.
"The choices you make this year can result in a healthier, cleaner, more prosperous future for all, not just in this region, but across the planet," United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon said in a message to the Forum. "I encourage all of you gathered for the First Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific to build a common environmental agenda that addresses the need for enhancing resilience, moving away from carbon intensive development, and decoupling economic growth from intensive resource use and pollution."
"Countries in the region have given expression to the urgency of embarking on green economy pathways to sustainable development and many innovative examples are already emerging in Asia Pacific. There is a common realization shared by the many groups that met during this week - from financiers and chief justices, to environment ministers and civil society - that a healthy environment is a pre-requisite for socio-economic development and human well-being," said Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UNEP and United Nations Under-Secretary-General.
The meeting agreed on a range of priorities to address pressing sustainable development, environment and related health challenges:
Tackle Climate Change and Enhance Resilience
- Further strengthen resilience of countries in the region, particularly in cities and key infrastructure, to adverse effects of climate change and extreme weather events. Increased vulnerability to climate change and disasters is already imposing high economic and social costs. In 2014 alone, disasters cost nearly US$60 billion, along with immeasurable human costs.
Decouple Economic Growth from Resource Use and Pollution
- Strengthening policy and regulations towards resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production. Material use in the region is growing faster than the rest of the world at 5 per cent annually.
Secure Sustainable Provision of Ecosystem Services
- Protecting ecosystems and the valuable services these provide, was highlighted as a key element for poverty alleviation. This includes providing incentives for investments in ecosystems, including strengthening national capacity in valuation and management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and ecosystem services through conservation of protected areas and species, monitoring of national and regional illegal wildlife trade, and through land use management.
Manage Chemicals and Waste
- Develop strong policies, standards and targeted regulations and law enforcement to promote sound management of chemicals and waste, including e-waste, to reduce growing health and environmental impacts of hazardous chemicals and waste. Hazardous waste generation is expected to grow by 46 per cent by 2020.
Develop Integrated Approaches to Environment and Health especially to address Air Quality
- Develop integrated approaches at national and regional levels and promote control and prevention of air pollution, including transboundary haze, to minimize impact on human health and the environment. In 2012, more than 5 million premature deaths were attributable to air pollution in the Asia Pacific region.
"Our shared challenge is to recognize that transformation for sustainable development requires us to advocate beyond traditional functional areas, to collaborate across sectors and to act in concert to implement all of the SDGs to be agreed in September. We must change our thinking, change the way we plan and manage economies and change our relationship with our one and only planet," said Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Under-Secretary-General.
"This inaugural forum has played a critical role in building consensus within the Asia Pacific region on the environmental dimensions of sustainable development. It will help give a clearer voice from the region in this landmark year for sustainable development," said Ms. Oyun Sanjaasuren, President of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
Other events associated with the Forum
Asia-Pacific CSO Forum on Sustainable Development: Consolidating Peoples' Agenda for Development Justice
A meeting of Asia Pacific civil society organisations (CSOs) to build CSO capacities on the sustainable development agenda processes and to review opportunities and modalities for engaging and influencing SDG processes at global, regional and national level.
Sustainable Stock Exchanges Regional Dialogue South East Asia
The first of its kind, this brought together leading Southeast Asian stock exchanges, listed companies and institutional investors as well as high-level policy makers and regulators, to review sustainable development opportunities and challenges facing capital markets today.
Asia Environment Enforcement Awards
Five enforcement officers and eight organizations tackling fast-growing illegal trade in wildlife, chemicals and waste in Asia Pacific were awarded the Asia Environmental Enforcement Award (AEEA) at a ceremony.
Organised by UNEP and co-hosted by the Royal Thai Government, the Forum brought together about 180 participants, including government, business and civil society leaders. The President of Kiribati, the Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga, Environment Ministers and members of national parliaments dealing with environmental issues were among those present.
NOTES TO EDITORS
QUOTES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORITIES IN ASIA PACIFIC COUNTRIES
AFGHANISTAN
"One key thing I'd like to raise here is the question of peace and security. Without peace and security all our efforts at attaining environmental sustainability will come to nothing," said Ghulam Mohd Malikyar, Deputy Director General, National Environmental Protection Agency
COOK ISLANDS
"A healthy environment is essential to the sustainable development of the Pacific Island countries and Territories. The many sustainable developmental challenges for this region must be addressed in an integrated approach- including through Eco-system- based adaptation," said H.E. Mona Ioane, Associate Minister Ministry of Environment.
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
"It is very important to build resilient cities to climate change, environment pollution and disasters," said H.E. Masoumeh Ebtekar, Vice-President and Head of Department of Environment.
JAPAN
"We believe that every country should recognize the role of SDGs and make an effort to promote awareness and actions" said. H.E. Soichiro Seki, Vice-Minister for Global Environment, Ministry of Environment, Japan.
LAO PDR
"We are now integrating the SDGs into the preparation process of the 8th National Socio-Economic Plan for 2016-2020 and the SDGs are being set as the outcomes and outputs," said H.E. Bounkham Vorachit, Vice-Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
NEW ZEALAND
"It is clear that rapidly growing economies of the region can and must be harnessed as engines for sustainable development. Growth and development in the region presents a strategic opportunity to leap frog toward greener growth and lower-impact patterns of production and consumption, " said Dr. Wendy Jackson, Policy Officer (Biodiversity and Chemicals/Waste), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
PHILIPPINES
"In the Philippines, we try to promote poverty reduction through environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation. The greening program is being implemented on a massive scale, not as an environmental program, but as a poverty reduction and food security program. Whatever environmental benefit we get from it, is a bonus," said H.E. Ramon Jesus Paje, Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
"There is need for of regional and sub-regional cooperation to address environmental challenges more efficiently, including on transboundary air pollution through sharing knowledge and experiences, and conducting joint research," said H.E. Jeong Yeon-Man, Vice Minister of Ministry of Environment.
THAILAND
"As Asia Pacific increasingly becomes the engine of economic growth for the world, there is an urgent and pressing need to more sustainably manage the use of the region's natural resource base," said H.E. Dapong Ratanasuwan, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
VIET NAM
"The discussions covered important issues that are very relevant to our country. We propose this forum continue on a regular basis," said Dr. Do Nam Thang, Deputy Director General, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
