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Joint Communique of the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment
Bangkok, 29-30 November 1984 |
- On 29 - 30 November 1984, Thailand hosted the 2nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment, at Bangkok, Thailand.
- The Meeting was formally opened by H.E. Mr. Bichai Rattakul, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and Chairman of the National Environment Board.
- The Meeting was attended by the Minister for the Environment from ASEAN member countries namely H.E. Pehin Dato Abdul Rahman Taib, Minister of Development of Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Emil Salim, the Minister of State for Population and Environment of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Datuk Amar Stephen Yong, the Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment of Malaysia; H.E. Rodolfo P. Del. Rosario, the Minister of Natural Resources of the Republic of the Philippines; H.E. Ong Pang Boon, the Minister for the Environment of the Republic of Singapore; and H.E. Damrong Lathapipat, the Minister of Science, Technology and Energy of the Kingdom of Thailand and H.E. Phan Wannamethee the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat.
- Brunei Darussalam, the new sixth member of ASEAN attended the Meeting for the first time.
- Preceeding the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment, a meeting of the ASEAN Senior Environment Officials from ASEAN countries as convened on 27 - 28 November 1984 by the National Environment Board of Thailand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to prepare the programmes for the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment.
- Among the major decisions of the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment as an agreement to sign the "ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves" and the "Bangkok Declaration on the ASEAN Environment" and endorsement of ASEAN Environment Programme 11 (ASEP 11).
- The ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves s at regional cooperation in conservation and management of a number of national parks of the ASEAN member countries. The Ministers stressed that environmental concerns transcend national boundaries and that although individual member countries are primarily responsible for their respective heritage sites these heritage sites require urgent regional conservation and management action as well as a regional mechanism, complementary to and supportive of national efforts to implement conservation measures.
- Mindful of the Manila Declaration on the ASEAN Environment signed in Manila, the Philppines on 30 April 1981, which provides that the ASEAN member countries shall take cooperative action in the progressive implementation of projects under the ASEAN Environment Programme (ASEP), the Meeting agreed to sign the Bangkok Declaration on the ASEAN Environment with the objective of achieving improvements in development planning and implementation so that environmental dimensions will be recognized and made to be an integral aspect of project development planning and implementation in order that continuing development can proceed to meet pressing economic needs while at the same time, conserving natural resources that will be permanently made available to support continuing development and maintain an environment which will permit an improved quality of life.
- The Meeting also endorsed the ASEAN Agreement on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources which aims at supporting scientific and technical programmes of relevance to the conservation of species and ecosystems and of ecological processes of the region.
- The Meeting resolved to adopt policy guidelines for implementation mandating the ASEAN Experts Group on the Environment to implement fundable environmental projects of common concern, to forge a common stand in dealing with global environmental matters, to ensure wider, involvement of non-governmental organizations, the business communities, universities, professional association, in environmental endeavours.
- It was also resolved that environmental dimension be integrated into other activities of the ASEAN functional committee through appropriate mechanism. Finally it was resolved that the policy guidelines on environment be brought to the attention of Heads of Governments of the ASEAN counties.
- The delegations from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore expressed their sincere appreciation to the government and people of Thailand for the warm hospitality accorded them and the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.
- The Meeting was held in the traditional spirit of ASEAN solidarity and cordiality.
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