ASEAN Environment Ministers met today to review regional and global environmental issues and to further enhance collaborative actions to protect the environment.

The Ministers reviewed progress of implementation of the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on the Environment, incorporating recommendations of the Hanoi Plan of Action, and endorsed further concrete actions and initiatives to effectively address environmental challenges in the region. Areas of priority concern include: land and forest fires, transboundary haze, nature conservation and biodiversity, coastal and marine environment, multilateral environmental agreements, environmental public education, information, awareness, and training, and environmentally sound technologies.

On land and forest fires and transboundary haze, the Ministers expressed concern over the prediction by the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre that there is a 75 percent chance of a drier than normal conditions during the second half of 2001, and consequentially the potential for spells of smoke haze episodes during that period. The Ministers pledged to be vigilant, and resolved to undertake greater efforts for regional preparedness to prevent the problem. These include the development of fire suppression mobilisation plans, monitoring of land and forest fires and transboundary haze, and preventive measures to promote the zero-burning policy and strengthen law enforcement efforts.

The Ministers also noted that Indonesia had enforced a new regulation in February 2001 to step up enforcement measures to control open burning, and that court action had been taken against a number of plantation companies that had undertaken open burning.

The Ministers noted the substantial progress in the negotiation of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. The Ministers agreed that the draft Agreement should be concluded by September 2001, to be signed during the ASEAN Summit in November 2001 in Brunei Darussalam. The Ministers also agreed on arrangements to ensure the early entry into force of the Agreement.

In enhancing further the capacity and awareness of the region in addressing the issues on transboundary haze, a World Conference and Exhibition on Fire Hazards from Land and Forest Fires will be organised in Malaysia in the year 2002.

In addition, the Ministers also agreed that a feasibility study for the establishment of an emergency response and planning institute be conducted.

The Ministers released an ASEAN-ADB joint publication entitled 'Fire, Smoke, and Haze - the ASEAN Response Strategy". The publication documents ASEAN's experiences in managing forest fires and its response strategy. The publication serves to inform all concerned about ASEAN's efforts, and about opportunities for further collaboration with ASEAN to tackle this pressing problem.

The Ministers launched the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan (AEEAP), 2000-2005, which serves as a collaborative framework for ASEAN cooperation in enhancing manpower capability and in managing the environment through information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns.

The Ministers noted that ASEAN will soon launch its Second State of the Environment Report (SoER), to be followed by the Third SoER in early 2002 in time for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10). The Ministers commended the preparations by Cambodia and Indonesia for hosting preparatory meetings for the World Summit on Sustainable Development - the Asia-Pacific regional meeting in Cambodia and the ministerial-level meeting in Indonesia. The Ministers urged all relevant governments and agencies to assist the two Governments in making these events a success.

The Ministers expressed deep concern over US Government’s position on the Kyoto Protocol. The Ministers were of the view that the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol should not be re-negotiated, and looked forward to the amicable resolution of outstanding issues at the resumed session of the Sixth Conference of Parties of the Climate Change Convention.

The Ministers also held consultations with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), UNEP, UNESCO, United Nations University (UNU) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) on continued co-operative activities with ASEAN. The Ministers expressed their deep appreciation to these organisations for their substantial support in improving the environmental conditions in ASEAN.

 

Ministers and representatives present at the 6th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment :

H.E. Pg. Indera Wijaya Pg. Dr. Hj. Ismail bin Pg. Hj. Damit

Minister of Development
Brunei Darussalam

H. E. Dr. Mok Mareth

Minister for the Environment
Kingdom of Cambodia

H.E. Dr. Alexander Sonny Keraf
State Minister of Environment Republic of Indonesia

H.E. Dr. Prof. Souli Nanthavong
Minister to Prime Minister Office
in Charge of Science, Technology and Environment Lao PDR

H.E. Dato Law Hieng Ding
Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment
Malaysia

H.E. Mr. Lim Swee Say
Acting Minister for the Environment
Singapore

H.E. Dr. Prof. Chu Tuan Nha
Minister for Science, Technology and Environment
Viet Nam

H.E. U Tint Lwin
Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia
Myanmar

Mr. Uriel Norman R. Garibay
Charge d Áffairs
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in the Kingdom of Cambodia

Mr. Sunthad Somchevita
ASOEN Chairman and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment
Thailand

H.E. Mr. Rodolfo C. Severino, JR.
Secretary General of ASEAN