NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ECO-SOCIETY INFORMATION EXCHANGE PRESENTATION AT HEADQUARTERS, 21 DECEMBER

Press Release

NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ECO-SOCIETY INFORMATION EXCHANGE PRESENTATION AT HEADQUARTERS, 21 DECEMBER

NEW YORK, 17 December (Department of Economic and Social Affairs) -- A presentation on "Information Exchange Programme on Eco-Society", sponsored by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, is to be held at Headquarters on Monday (21 December).

The presentation -- in Conference Room 9 at 4:30 p.m. -- will include a video, CD-ROM and website demonstration reporting on the World Conference on International Cooperation of Cities and Citizens for Cultivating an Eco-Society (Tokyo Eco-Partnership Conference), which took place in Tokyo from 26 to 29 May.

The Conference had three themes: (1) establishing regional recycling systems; (2) international co-operation towards realization of an eco-society; and (3) the creation of an eco-society civilization. These themes were discussed in 11 subworking groups. At the end of the Conference, the Tokyo Declaration on Eco-Partnership was adopted. The entire text of the Declaration, as well as all technical and city papers submitted for the Conference, can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.eco.gr.jp.

The "Information Exchange Programme on Eco-Society" is a concrete follow-up initiative of the Eco-Partnership Tokyo Conference, which was co-sponsored by the United Nations and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The website will be developed and extended to provide an "organized road map" and "search engine" to link available websites and information relevant to ecologically sustainable societies.

The website will also offer additional information on topics such as waste management, urban transportation, water re-use, rainwater use, energy- saving products, toxic-waste management, gender in ecologically sustainable development, and eco-oriented production models. It will also offer links to important institutions involved in building sustainable cities such as international organizations, municipalities, private businesses, non- governmental organizations (NGOs), universities and research institutions.

- 2 - Note No. 5543 18 December 1998

A new project, entitled "Human Resources Development for Eco-Partnership Building in Local Governance" funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is another follow-up activity of the Eco-partnership Tokyo Conference. It focuses on partnership-building of both Asian and African cities, in order to improve local Eco-society capacity-building in their cities through Asia-Africa co-operation. African and Asian metropolitan cities can develop partnerships for mutual learning in order to more effectively tackle their urban environmental issues.

The project will include study tours, and training seminar/workshops of mayors, city managers, representatives of business enterprises and NGOs, for policy dialogue and learning skills and innovative technologies, such as those for waste management, rainwater re-use systems, and energy-saving production methods.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will offer a forum for further policy dialogue on South-South co-operation by providing information to Asian and African cities and provide technical know-how and expertise at the training seminar/workshops to be held in Asian cities. The new project is expected to play a catalytic role in promoting South-South cooperation in strengthening local governance.

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