COOPERATION IN ENVIRONMENT

1. The multifarious regional activates in the field of the environment and the apparent conflict between economic development and environmental protection, which are of vital concern to the ASEAN Governments, lead to the establishment of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN).

2. ASOEN was formalized after the adoption of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science and Technology (the Plan) by the ASEAN Ministers on Science and Technology in January 1989 and the approval of its terms of reference (TOR) by the Third Meeting of the 23rd ASEAN Standing Committee in March 1990. In the Plan, the structure of the Committee on Science and Technology (COST) was reorganized and its ASEAN Experts Group on the Environment (AEGE) was elevated to ASEAN Senior Officials status entitling it to report directly to the ASEAN Standing Committee. Research and Development activities on the environment will, however, remain under the purview of COST.

3. ASOEN, guided by the Jakarta Resolution on Sustainable Development issued by the ASEAN Ministers on the Environment in October 1987 and the relevant section on Functional Cooperation in the Manila Declaration adopted by the ASEAN Heads of Government in 1987, would promote the principle of sustainable development systematically integrating it into all aspects of development process and focus on policy guidelines to protect ASEAN's common resources and environment.

   Programme Areas

4. The ASEAN Environment Programme (ASEP) was designed to promote the proper management of the environment so that it can sustain continual economic development while maintaining a high quality of life for the people of ASEAN countries. ASEP I was implemented in 1978-1982 and ASEP II in 1983-1987. ASEP III commenced in 1988 with six programme areas, as follows :

   Environmental Management

5. This area deals with the problems of the environment and the use of management tools, such as environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the application of advanced technologies, as remote sensing, to solve the problems or at least mitigate their adverse impacts.

6. National activities on information dissemination on EIA and a regional activity on comparative environmental law in ASEAN are being implemented. Projects on EIA/Study on Coal-Fired Power Plants, EIA of Mini-hydro Power Plants and Regional Technical Cooperation Programme for Improving Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance through Remote Sensing are projects approved for implementation.

   Nature Conservation and Terrestial Ecosystem

7. Projects in this area are aimed at integrating environmental protection, economic development and quality of life. Achievement includes the Agreement on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and the ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves. Current projects are directed towards attainment of a rational approach to conservation and development as the Establishment of ASEAN Wildlife Society, Establishment of an ASEAN Information Centre on Nature Conservation and Meetings of ASEAN Experts on Nature Conservation.

   Industry and Environment

8. The objective of projects in this area includes: finding feasible solutions to major industrial pollution problems in ASEAN countries, as those coming from the palm oil and rubber industries in Malaysia, the coconut and sugar processing industries in the Philippines and the tapioca processing industries in Thailand; the promotion of intra-ASEAN transfer of technology through demonstration projects in industrial pollution; and the establishment of proper management programmes for control of hazardous waste and development of regional programmes on prevention of industrial accidents.

9. On-going projects include: Technology Transfer on the Treatment of Effluents from Palm Oil and Rubber Industries and Anti-Pollution Technologies for Urban, and Rural Areas and Air Pollution Control and Management in Fluid Gas Desulphurization and Denitrification.

   Urban Environment

10. The projects are aimed at solving environmental problems not necessarily related to industry as air and water pollution, solid waste, inadequate urban parks arid greenery, the presence of slums and other forms of marginal settlements, and those associated with developments, like traffic noise and congestion and the biophysical effects associated with the construction of high-rise structures in cities of ASEAN.

11. On-going projects are Study of Management and Control of Hazardous Materials in the U.S., Workshops on Air Quality Monitoring and Management, and Application of Meteorological Data in the Air Pollution Monitoring and Control in the ASEAN Region.

    Marine Environment

12. The marine environment being a common heritage and an abundant source of resources, if used rationally, can help foster economic development and improve the quality of life in ASEAN thus needs to be conserved and protected.

13. The Action Plan for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas of East Asian Region is currently being reappraised and revised. The preparatory phase for the Development of Cooperation Action Plan for Oil Pollution Combat (South China Sea) was completed.

    Environmental Education, Training and Information

14. This area deals with human resources development (HRD), promoting environmental awareness in other sectors and further enhancing information exchange among member countries.

15. Regional and national projects leading to the establishment of an information network, development of communication media and materials for enhancing environmental awareness in ASEAN and training of trainers on environmental education in ASEAN are being implemented in this area.

    Implementing Mechanism of ASOEN

16. The Fourth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (4th AMME) in June 1990, in Kuala Lumpur accepted the recommendations of the SOM for 4th AMME that Six Working Groups under ASOEN were to be established as follows :
    
    

    Working Group	Country Coordinator
    a. ASEAN Working Group on Nature Conservation to be responsible for all aspects of nature conservation including biological diversity;	Malaysia
    b. ASEAN Working Group on ASEAN Seas and Marine Environment;	Brunei Darussalam
    c. ASEAN Working Group on Transboundary Pollution to be responsible for issues such as global climate change, depletion of ozone layer, toxic and hazardous wastes;	Singapore
    d. ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Management which would cover aspects of legal matters, environmental impact assessment, environmental monitoring and environmental training	Philippines
    e. ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Economics; and	Indonesia
    f. ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Information, Public Awareness and Education.	Thailand

17. The coordination of the Six Working Groups was assigned to each of the ASEAN member countries as indicated above. Malaysian was made the first Chairman of ASOEN. ASOEN held its first meeting on 19 June 1990, in Subang, Malaysia.