`MODEST GAINS' IN JOINT BATTLE AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION NOTED AS ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE ENDS
Press Release
ESCAP/248
`MODEST GAINS' IN JOINT BATTLE AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION NOTED AS ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE ENDS
19951128 Ministerial Declaration, Action Programme AdoptedBANGKOK, 28 November (UN Information Service) -- Asia-Pacific States ended their 1995 Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Bangkok today with the recognition that, despite modest gains in improving the environment, there are still tremendous obstacles to overcome before the whole region is joined in the battle to change the grim environmental forecast for the near future. The Ministers had before them the 1995 Report on the State of the Environment in Asia and the Pacific warning that an ecological disaster would be brought about by an expected doubling of the population in the region by the year 2040.
The two-day meeting ended with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration and a Regional Action Programme for Environmentally Sound and Sustainable Development for 1996-2001, which will be reviewed by the year 2000.
The Declaration notes with concern "the inadequate financial resources" available for environment projects in Asia and the Pacific and the decrease in official development assistance into the region. It expresses the will and determination of the Governments of the Asian and Pacific region to mobilize resources to achieve environmentally sound and sustainable development in the shortest possible time.
The States agree to take steps to implement the Action Programme and strengthen the institutional framework and to provide adequate financial resources for the implementation of the Action Programme. They urge developed countries to provide substantial new and additional financial resources, in line with the Earth Summit's recommendations to reach the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product for official development assistance.
Under the Declaration, Asia-Pacific countries also urged States involved in nuclear testing to take note of the strong concern in the region over the impact of nuclear testing on the environment and to cease nuclear testing and conclude a comprehensive test-ban treaty in 1996.
They decided to make efforts to establish a regional funding mechanism, when necessary, to supplement existing funding sources in the form of a trust fund, for the implementation of the Regional Action Programme. They agreed to convene the fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific by the year 2000.
As the meeting was drawing to a close, Ministers pointed to improvements in their respective countries' national legislation on the protection of the environment and public participation as a response to the statement made by the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Adrianus Mooy, earlier today. In it, Mr. Mooy had charged that "the environmental challenges defined in the 1980s have been largely unmet" by Asia-Pacific countries and that "the level of consensus among major players in the sustainable development arena is grossly insufficient".
Speakers linked their Governments' reluctance to finance environmental projects with the growing poverty in that region, which is the most populous, and contains some of the world's most dynamic economies along with 60 per cent of the world's poor. While reaffirming their commitment to sustainable development, some countries stressed their obligation to stimulate the economy in order to shake off poverty.
China told fellow Asia-Pacific nations that developing countries should not put their entire hope for a better environment on the richer industrialized nations, but should depend on themselves. The theme of self-reliance was echoed by others who added that they were disappointed at the lack of funds from the international community for environmental projects in the region. More affluent countries had an obligation to help by transferring capital and technology for sustainable development, speakers said.
Fiji told about its study of the effects of global warming, which could result in rising sea-levels and climate change. With the financial assistance of the United States, Fiji had begun a project aimed at registering vulnerability to climate change. The country had also adopted a national environment strategy providing a legal framework for addressing environmental concerns.
The Asian Development Bank noted that its loans for the environment had expanded from $220 million in 1990 to more than $1 billion today and a further expansion was planned. However, the Bank estimated that a minimum of $13 billion would be required to maintain the present status of the environment. To improve the situation, up to $70 billion would be needed each year. The Bank called on the private sector to participate in raising the funds.
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The private sector, which met at a separate symposium held simultaneously with the Conference, asked that Asia-Pacific Governments involve the business community in close partnership to protect the environment. It called for a framework for free trade supporting sustainable development and urged that trade barriers based on environmental regulations should be minimized and carefully tailored to the free trade system.
Recommendations adopted at an NGO/media symposium, held simultaneously with the Conference, were also presented to the Ministers. The non- governmental organization and media representatives called for public participation at all levels of government and more funding for the organizations to enable them to contribute to ecologically sustainable development.
The two-day meeting brought together environment ministers and other high-ranking officials from 40 Asia-Pacific nations to stimulate a renewed commitment to environment and sustainable development as well as to provide guidance to the region towards meeting the formidable and complex challenges of sustainable development into the next millennium.
The Ministerial Conference was inaugurated by the King of Thailand's Representative, H.E. Air Vice Marshal Kamthon Sindhvananda, Privy Councillor.
In a message read out by Adrianus Mooy, Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali stated: "We are all aware that the major issues concerning the environment are increasingly transnational in scope. No political boundaries can stop the spread of toxic fumes and effluents. If the pollution of the atmosphere, rivers and oceans continues, the repercussions will be world-wide and will affect generations to come."
The Secretary-General emphasized that "the concept of sustainable development may. . . be tested more severely in the Asian and Pacific region than anywhere else on earth."
In his address to the Conference, Samak Sundaravej, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, noted that the problems of environmental degradation in that region were linked with the basic needs that had hitherto been met by over- exploitation of the natural resources base and which continued at an alarming rate to meet the needs of mere survival.
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