ENVIRONMENT

Southeast asia has one of the richest and most varied natural environments in the world, and the use of natural resources has a big part in the well-being of its peoples and nations. Along with the rich and varied resource mix comes the challenge of caring and nurture. The region is home to some 500 million people who depend on these re-sources for both consumption and production. And it is vulnerable to droughts and floods, which are made more devastating by the destruction of watersheds and forests.

For these reasons the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) view the protection of the environment and the sustainable use and management of natural resources as essential to the long-term economic growth of their countries and the region. This commitment has strengthened over the years as environmental problems have become more complex, pervading almost every aspect of socioeconomic activity in the region.

ASEAN’s earliest initiative on environmental cooperation was the ASEAN Subregional Environment Programme of 1977. This set the framework for regional cooperation in terms of priorities, specific projects and day-to-day activities.

At the ASEAN Summit Meeting of 1992 in Singapore, the link between environmental issues and sustainable development gained explicit recognition. Through the Singapore Declaration, ASEAN pledged “to play an active part in protecting the environment by continuing to cooperate by promoting the principle of sustainable development and integrating it into all aspects of development.”

Six years later-in the wake of forest fires and the transboundary haze that threatened parts of the region-the ASEAN leaders declared, at the Sixth ASEAN Summit in Viet Nam in December 1998: “So as to ensure the sustainability of our nations’ development, the protection of the environment shall be an essential part of our economic activities. We shall consolidate and expand our gains in the control and prevention of transboundary pollution, especially the haze arising from land and forest fires.”

The Declaration gave rise to 15 objectives for environment cooperation enunciated in the Ha Noi Plan of Action issued at the Summit. And this in turn led to the adoption of the Strategic Plan of Action for the Environment, 1999-2004.

Strategic Plan of Action

The 15 objectives of the Plan are:

1. Carry out the ASEAN Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution with emphasis on the Regional Haze Action Plan by the year 2001;
2. Strengthen the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre with emphasis on its ability to monitor forest and land fires and provide early warning of transboundary haze by the year 2001;
3. Establish the ASEAN Regional Research and Training Centre for Land and Forest Fire Management by the year 2004;
4. Strengthen the ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation by setting up networks of relevant institutions and carry out collaborative training and research by the year 2001;
5. Promote regional coordination to protect the ASEAN Heritage Parks and reserves;
6. Develop a framework and improve regional coordination for the integrated protection and management of coastal zones by the year 2001;
7. Strengthen institutional and legal capacities to carry out Agenda 21 and other international environmental agreements by the year 2001;
8. Harmonise the environmental databases of member countries by the year 2001;
9. Carry out a regional water conservation programme by the year 2001;
10. Establish a regional centre or network to promote environmentally sound technologies by the year 2004;
11. Draw up and adopt an ASEAN Protocol on access to genetic resources by the year 2004;
12. Develop a regional Action Plan for the Pro-tection of the Marine Environment from Land-based and Sea-based Activities by the year 2004;
13. Carry out the Framework to Achieve the Long-term Environmental Goals for Ambient Air and River Water Qualities for ASEAN countries;
14. Enhance regional efforts in dealing with climatic change; and
15. Enhance public information and awareness of and participation in issues on the environment and sustainable development.

The Plan has measurable benchmarks based on set time frames and targets. Since environmental issues are interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral, member countries must coordinate with other sectoral bodies in ASEAN in carrying out the Plan. Similarly, the other sectors are asked to incorporate environmental considerations into their development plans. The ASEAN Secretariat plays a vital role in integrating pro-environmental action into the development activities of the member countries.

Transboundary Haze

Transboundary haze pollution arising from land and forest fires has been the most prominent and most pressing environmental problem facing ASEAN in recent years. Recurring large-scale fires that cause transboundary haze are often deliberately set by small farmers or large plantation companies to clear land at minimum cost to them. There have been several large-scale fire-and-haze episodes since the early eighties-particularly during the dry seasons of 1982-83, 1987, 1991, 1994 and 1997-98-that have caused severe damage well beyond the destruction of forest land and ecosystems. The smoke haze created by the fires has polluted the air, endangered human health and set back the economic well-being of millions across the region. In addition, the impact of the haze on greenhouse gas emission and the loss of tropical forests and their associated biodiversity have worsened global environmental problems.

ASEAN has actively dealt with the fire-and-haze problem and its wide-ranging impact. Its response to the problem has included numerous resolutions, declarations, communiqués, memoranda of understanding and, above all, action to implement its preventive and control programmes. Following the last major episode of transboundary haze in late 1997 and early 1998, ASEAN adopted the Regional Haze Action Plan (RHAP), which was endorsed by the ASEAN Environment Ministers in December 1997.

The RHAP has three priority areas: prevention of land and forest fires through better management policies and enforcement; establishing operational mechanisms for monitoring; and strengthening regional land and forest fire-fighting capability. The signing of RHAP was a turning point in the region’s effort to prevent and mitigate the damage from recurrent transboundary haze. To ensure that RHAP implementation is on the right track, the ASEAN Environment Ministers, in July 1999, endorsed the Updated Implementation Plan for the RHAP. The Plan identifies priorities and actions to be carried out in the short term, by 2000, and in the medium term, by 2003. The Plan also serves as a road map to show how far the RHAP implementation has been achieved.

ASEAN’s Haze Technical Task Force meets regularly to review the progress in the implementation of the RHAP and provides guidance to its working groups. Since the adoption of RHAP, the task force, under the guidance of ASEAN Environment Ministers, has undertaken several initiatives and recorded significant achievements:

Monitoring of Fire and Haze Pollution. As the lead country for monitoring under the RHAP, Singapore has been providing satellite pictures to Indonesia and Malaysia to alert their governments to the presence of fires on the ground. Since April 2000, meteorological serv-ices from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have met regularly to discuss regional climate forecasts and to deal with meteorological issues related to fires and smoke haze. The ASEAN Secretariat’s RHAP-Coordination and Surveillance Unit monitors haze day-to-day and regionwide; it makes its findings public through its Web site called the ASEAN Haze Action On-line (www.haze-online.or.id).

Immediate Action Plans (IAPs) Field Training Exercise. The objectives of IAPs are to prevent fires and to ensure that they don’t get out of control during the dry season in fire-prone areas of the region. Under the IAPS, ASEAN has put into operation its Fire Suppression Mobilisation (FSMP) meas-ures in the priority districts of Riau, South Sumatra, South Kalimantan and West Kalimantan provinces. These measures are part of ASEAN’s efforts to develop long-term capability to suppress forest fires.

Law-enforcement programmes. Large-scale fires that cause transboundary haze are often set by either small farmers or large plantation companies to clear land at minimal cost and effort. After the last major haze episodes in 1997-98, reports continued of some brief fire-and-haze incidents caused by illegal burning, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The ASEAN Environment Ministers in April 2000 agreed to take measures to deal with the culprits and to enforce the zero-burning policy. As a result, a number of plantation companies accused of illegal open burning were investigated and prosecuted. In addition, collaborative efforts to enhance the region’s capacity for law enforcement are under way. These include establishing the SRFA Legal Group on Law and Enforcement.

Public Awareness Programmes. In April 1999 ASEAN adopted a “zero-burning” policy and urged all member countries to enforce the laws and regulations on this policy. Following this, ASEAN convened dialogue sessions with plantation companies as part of the effort to promote the zero-burning policy among plantation owners and timber concessionaires. The First Dialogue Session with Plantation Companies in Sumatra was held in January 2000 in Pekanbaru, Riau province; the Second Dialogue Session, in July 2000 in Jakarta. These sessions sought to raise awareness of zero-burning practices and techniques among plantation companies, and to establish a regular forum for sustaining the dialogues with them.

ASEAN, with the assistance of the United Nations Environment Programme, is drawing up a single agreement on transboundary haze pollution that will help to prevent, control and mitigate transboundary haze pollution through concerted and cooperative national and regional action, while considering the specific circumstances and socioeconomic conditions of individual states. The ASEAN Environment Ministers recently agreed to start negotiation on the agreement as soon as possible.

With the RHAP, ASEAN has laid out the cooperative framework and detailed operational plans to deal with the transboundary haze pollution in the region. Its goal of preventing and reducing such pollution in a region as large and diverse as ASEAN cannot be realised, however, merely by resolutions and action plans. Carrying out the RHAP requires concrete actions by many agencies and the communities involved over a prolonged period. It also requires expertise drawn from numerous disciplines. Above all, for the programme to be successful, all participants in the plans need sustained energy, commitment and determination.

Nature Conservation and Biodiversity

Overexploitation of Southeast Asia’s diverse and rich ecosystems is another problem now widely recognised by ASEAN countries. Local communities have been using products from these re-sources for generations. This places pressure on the ecosystems, degrading biological resources and weakening biodiversity. The loss of biodiversity usually originates locally, but its impact is eventually felt regionally. ASEAN is, therefore, mobilising its member countries to pursue policies that balance use with the conservation of biological resources.

In February 1999 ASEAN established the Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation with financial support from the European Union. Housed in Los Baños, Philippines, the Centre aims to intensify regional cooperation on biodiversity conservation. It also serves as a focal point for networking and institutional linkage among the member countries and between ASEAN and EU partner organisations.

The Centre undertakes networking and institutional building; training and extension; research and development; and management of database and information systems.

Through the Centre, ASEAN has so far established National Biodiversity Reference Units in seven member countries- Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam-to coordinate and carry out national activities on biodiversity.

ASEAN is drafting a Framework Agreement on Access to Genetic and Biological Resources that would regulate access to biological and genetic resources and ensure that the benefits from their exploitation are fairly shared.

These resources, which abound in Southeast Asia, have potential for the development of products, compounds and substances with medicinal, industrial, agricultural and other applications. Unregulated bio-prospecting-exploring, extracting and screening the resources-has been done by researchers from the more developed countries. These prospectors then register and patent the results.

The proposed framework agreement on access strives to remedy this situation and to protect biodiversity in Southeast Asia. Experts from various sectors-government agencies, academic institutions, indigenous groups, the private sector and nongovernment organisations-took part in the meetings that developed the draft agreement. The Framework Agree-ment, when approved, will be ASEAN’s contribution to the Convention on Biological Diversity on the specific issue of state sovereignty over their genetic resources.

Coastal and Marine Environment

The coastal and marine environment of Southeast Asia consists of vast mangroves, coral reefs and sea grasses, which are hatching grounds and nurseries for many species of marine organisms. These habitats serve as coastal barriers and pollution filters. The coral reefs also trap sediment and slow down erosion.

Mangroves, sea grasses and coral reefs are now threatened by pollution, exploitation and overdevelopment of coastal areas in the region. Coastal and marine pollution is caused by land- and sea-based activities, which are increasing at an alarming rate. Studies show that most marine pollution comes from land-based sources, such as sewage discharges, agricultural run-offs, domestic and industrial discharges, and land erosion. Tankers dislodging oil spills are the major source of sea-based pollution. In coastal areas, large populations lacking environmental awareness multiply the negative pressure on coastal and marine resources because they depend on these resources for food and sometimes wreak havoc on the coastal and marine environment.

For ASEAN the main challenge today is how to maintain an optimal balance between development and conservation of natural resources in the region for present and future generations. That balance is possible through an integrated coastal and marine management system.

The ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment has identified the following areas in its cooperation framework for the integrated protection and management of coastal zones:

• coral reef, sea grass and mangrove;
• oil sludge from tankers and ballast water;
• management of solid and liquid waste;
• coastal erosion;
• ecotourism; and
• coastal wetlands, including protected marine areas.

ASEAN is considering a regional action plan for coastal and marine surveillance of illegal discharges, using a regionwide community-based surveillance mechanism.

Multilateral Environment Agreements

Sustainable development is both a regional and global concern for ASEAN today. Most ASEAN countries took part in the 1992 UN Conference on Environmental and Development, popularly known as the Earth Summit. Many member countries are parties to international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change. ASEAN countries also subscribed to the Declaration of the Principles of the Summit and contributed to Agenda 21, and have their national plans to carry out the Agenda.

ASEAN members are pursuing other environmental concerns at the international level. At the moment, ASEAN is concentrating on the following multilateral environmental agreements which are of regional importance and under negotiation:

1. Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer;
2. The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and its Disposal;
3. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol;
4. Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (the Rotterdam Convention); and
5. International Negotiating Committee for an Internationally Legally Binding Instrument for Implementing International Action on Certain Persistent Organic Pollutants.

The main challenges faced by the ASEAN signatories are funding, appropriate environment policies, human resources and technological capacity.

To face these challenges, ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment have assigned the Working Group on Multilateral Environmental Agreements to seek a common ASEAN approach to negotiating and carrying out these agreements. ASEAN now takes part in conferences of parties and helps member countries assert the association’s common points.

Public Awareness and Environmental Education

Aware of the importance of public and community involvement in the conservation of the environment, ASEAN has acted to increase popular and expert knowledge of the environment and to improve its protection, conservation and sustainable use and management. Among these are:

State of the Environment Report. The First ASEAN State of the Environment Report, with funding from the United Nations Environment Programme, was published in 1997. The Report covers a wide range of topics such as land, air, water, agriculture, industry, energy, transport, international trade and tourism, legislation, institutions and people. It also charts the direction that ASEAN is taking to deal with important environmental challenges, and provides benchmarks for measuring ASEAN’s performance in the sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection.

The Second ASEAN State of the Environment Report is scheduled to come out by the end of this year. This effort has also received support from the United Nations Environment Programme.

ASEAN Environment Year. The ASEAN Environment Year 2000 was launched in Bandar Seri Begawan on 4 April 2000. The programme is designed to increase public awareness of environmental issues and programmes.

In the ASEAN capitals AEY 2000 activities-such as seminars, training sessions, workshops, exhibits and competitions-will highlight ASEAN’s commitment to environmental protection and the need for collective action to deal with environmental challenges.

ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan. The ASEAN Environmental Ministers have adopted an ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan (AEEAP) in October 2000, which covers formal and nonformal education, manpower capacity building, networking, collaboration and communication. This initiative was made possible by financial support from the Hanns Seidel Found-ation with the United Nations Environment Programme. Implementation will require commitment and resources both from within ASEAN and from external funding agencies.

Harmonising Laws and Standards

Another important component of ASEAN co-operation on the environment is the harmonisation of environmental laws and standards in the region. ASEAN countries have individually drafted comprehensive laws to provide the national policy framework for environmental objectives and actions towards sustainable development. Framework environmental legislation in ASEAN countries contains certain common elements. The first element recognises market-based instruments as a potent tool for advancing environmental protection through incentives for the private sector. This idea provides the basis for innovative policies that allow business firms and governments to work together to reduce pollution more efficiently and cost effectively.

The second element in most national legislation is the centralisation of responsibility for the environment in a single government body. These central bodies are vested with a broad range of functions that covers policy-setting, planning, implementation, monitoring and follow-up actions.

To control water pollution, ASEAN has resorted to command-and-control laws that regulate the conduct of specific activities to protect the environment and ensure public safety. These measures generally define limits on the quality of allowable wastewater discharges expressed in standard compositions of selected pollutants. Violations are of course subject to sanctions. In most of these regulations, standard values depend on the types or intended general uses of the receiving body of water defined in the enabling legislation.

Regarding air pollution, ASEAN countries have regulations that set limits on emissions from sources like smokestack gas from factories, stationary and mobile power plants, and other sources of pollution. The smokestack limits are based on emissions of critical air pollutants such as suspended particulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and others. Most ASEAN countries have also taken measures to curb pollution from motor vehicles.

ASEAN countries have passed laws governing this toxic waste. The new laws provide for more sophisticated monitoring of toxic substances. They designate regulatory institutions tasked with controlling the handling, treatment and disposal of these materials. They also restrict the entry of certain types of toxic waste.

Finally, ASEAN countries have passed laws and regulations governing forest protection and preservation, soil management, fisheries conservation, land management, wildlife protection and conservation, and management of marine resources, among others. These provide the legal basis for conservation measures throughout the region.

Devising environmental policies occupies the highest level of decision-making, usually at the ministry level. Each ASEAN country, with one exception, has designated a single ministry to be responsible for the environment. The ministry is generally equipped with in-house capabilities for planning, research and project development that contribute to the policy process.

All ASEAN countries generally encourage the private sector to take part in environmental activities. Some countries mandate it. Policy legislation in ASEAN usually re-quires extensive public hearings to ensure that the views of the public, especially the nongovernment interest groups, are heard and considered.

Outlook

ASEAN’s record of economic dynamism in the last two decades has heightened concern for sustainable development. The member countries have moved to protect the environment and to control the rate of exploitation of natural resources. There is regionwide consensus that member countries should adopt an integrated approach to development planning, taking into account environmental considerations.

At the Eighth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on 6-7 October 2000, ASEAN Environment Ministers reviewed the progress of environment cooperation under the Strategic Action Plan and concluded that much progress was being made but that environmental issues were more complex and challenging than ever. To meet these challenges, ASEAN needs to strengthen institutional and organisational capacity; promote technology transfer; speed up information networking; and deal with the negative impacts of globalisation.

Significantly, while commending the work of the Haze Technical Task Force for monitoring, preventing and mitigating the transboundary haze problem, the ministers also noted it would take only a spell of dry weather for the problem to return. Effective enforcement measures to tackle forest and plantation fires were needed more than ever.

ASEAN has progressed in developing concepts on the interaction between economic development and the environment. But it has been slower to develop concepts on social and demographic issues. This could lead to tensions that might ultimately negate the benefits of development and sound environmental management.

ASEAN countries continue to cope with the challenge of balancing environmental concerns with the imperatives of development. Environ-mental degradation continues to roil the region. But while environmental conditions remain problematic, the sociopolitical setting in ASEAN countries has become friendlier to bold approaches to environmental management. The prospects are such that, as environmental challenges rise in severity and complexity, ASEAN can-and will-act quickly to meet them as a matter of the highest priority.