The task of elevating functional cooperation and bringing environmental efforts within ASEAN to a higher plane requires substantial funding. The Second Meeting of the 29th ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC), held in Jakarta in January 1996, therefore, agreed that ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN) could be encouraged to develop priority project proposals for submission to the ASC, for funding consideration under the ASEAN Fund in accordance with its guidelines.

The Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN) was held in Langkawi, Malaysia in September 1996. The Meeting agreed that ASOEN should strive to achieve greater self-reliance in the implementation of its projects. In the preparation of national programmes on environment, the Meeting urged Member Countries to include regional components on Human Resources Development (HRD) and information exchange at the ASEAN level which would benefit the region. Furthermore, the Meeting observed that ASOEN should still strengthen ASEAN linkages and joint activities with its Dialogue Partners and other interested parties.

The Third Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME) was held in Phuket, Thailand in January 1997. The Ministers exchanged views on a wide range of issues regarding ASEAN environmental cooperation. These included, among other things, transboundary haze pollution, harmonisation of the Air Quality Index, ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), land and sea-based marine pollution, emerging issues in trade and environment, the ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation, cleaner technology/cleaner production including waste minimisation, UNEP's enhanced role in regional development and environmental issues, activities to celebrate ASEAN's 30th anniversary, development of a common ASEAN position on relevant issues for the meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development in April 1997 and the request from EU for an informal meeting between the EU Environment Ministers and the ASEAN Ministers responsible for the Environment.

During the period under review, five projects were completed, ten activities were still ongoing (see Table 19) while twenty-six were still pending and five were dropped. These projects and activities were conducted under the purview of the ASOEN Working Groups, namely; Nature Conservation, ASEAN Seas And Marine Environment, Transboundary Pollution, Environmental Management, Environmental Economics, and Environmental Information, Public Awareness And Education. Meetings and workshops held by ASOEN and its Working Groups during the year under review are found in Table 20.

The ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on the Environment for the year 1994-1998 was adopted by the Sixth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment held in Bandar Seri Begawan, in April 1994 and was subsequently published by the ASEAN Secretariat in July 1994. The Plan takes into consideration the need to harmonize the working groups' objectives, strengthen the existing institutional arrangements, identify priority regional issues as well as establish ASOEN's position in international fora such as the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Strategy 3 of the Plan calls for the strengthening of knowledge and information data base on environmental matters. This strategy recommends that the ASEAN Secretariat could coordinate with UNEP in setting up a system on environmental information collection and dissemination for the ASEAN region with information stored at the ASEAN Secretariat and disseminated to Member Countries. One concrete action is to establish a mechanism for the preparation of periodic reports on the state of the region's environ-ment. This action essentially calls for the preparation of an ASEAN State of the Environment Report on a periodic basis in view of the required submission of such reports from individual ASEAN Member Countries to the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).

In line with the above strategy, the First ASEAN State of Environment Report (SoER) was published in 1997. The Report summarizes the initiatives of ASEAN in responding to the challenges of sustainable development and presents the important issues and concerns that remain to be addressed. It is expected to contribute to ASEAN's efforts in balancing environmental protection and economic growth by expanding the information base and identifying challenges that confront ASEAN in advancing its economic prosperity and social well-being in a sustainable manner.

The First ASEAN State of the Environment Report highlights ASEAN's initiatives in responding to the challenges of sustainable development

Nature Conservation

The ASEAN Working Group on Nature Conservation (AWGNC) is focusing its efforts and actions to support the fifth strategy of the ASEAN Plan of Action on the Environment in establishing a regional framework on biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilisation of its components, particularly in strengthening ASEAN Member Countries capacities for research and development in order to enhance biodiversity conservation in the region.

Consequently, a Workshop on ASEANET Formulation was held in Kuala Lumpur in August 1996 with UNDP support. The Workshop agreed to establish a Technical Cooperation Network for Biosystematic of Insects, Nematodes and Microorganisms for ASEAN which will be known as ASEAN Loop of BioNET-International together with its work programmes within the context of ASEAN needs and priorities. The Workshop also agreed that each Member Country identifies a National Coordinating Institution (NACI) and National Institutions (NIs) participating in the network. The lines of action in four priority areas that have been drawn up are: information and communication services; training of human resources; rehabilitation of resources and development; and application of new technologies.

Likewise, as a means to realise the fifth strategy of the Action Plan, the Ministers expressed their support for the establishment of the ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC) as a flagship project at the Third Informal AMME. The cost of the project is estimated at US$12.43 million over five years, of which 79 per cent is shouldered by the EU and the remaining 21 per cent by ASEAN. This is one of the biggest grants that the EU has ever committed to ASEAN. This project is envisioned to strengthen ASEAN collaboration and cooperation for the promotion and conservation of biodiversity. The Centre would also serve as a focal point in creating linkages and network of cooperation and research activities in the field of biodiversity between existing centers or institutions from the ASEAN Member Countries and the EU.

The Seventh ASOEN Meeting noted that although all ASEAN Member Countries have signed the ASEAN Agreement on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 1985, some Member Countries have not ratified the Agreement. In view of the fact that the fourth strategy of the ASEAN Plan of Action on the Environment calls for the strengthening of institutional and legal capacities to implement international agreements on environment, by way of establishing capacities to support regional efforts to implement international agreements and participate effectively in the negotiation of new and revised agreements, and the fact that several international agreements, such as CITES and the Convention on Biodiversity, have come into force, the relevancy of the Agreement would have to be assessed in the present context. The results of the review will be presented to the next ASOEN for consideration.

ASEAN Seas And Marine Environment

The ASEAN Working Group on ASEAN Seas And Marine Environment (AWGASME) is committed to implement the sixth strategy of the ASEAN Plan of Action on the Environment, which is to promote the protection and management of coastal zone and marine resources. Based on the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) study, Land-Based Activities Affecting Coastal and Marine Areas in the East Asian Seas, various project activities to control land-based sources of pollution had been considered. The Seventh ASOEN Meeting agreed to give priority to the needs to improve capacity-building in the control of sea-based pollution sources and also recommended that ASOEN must be vigilant against any externally imposed standards in the control of land-based sources of pollution.

In this regard, the ASEAN Symposium on ASEAN Seas and Marine Environment Management was held in Bali, Indonesia in November 1996. The objective of the Symposium was to obtain a greater level of ASEAN awareness on mitigating adverse impacts of oil spills on the ecosystem and address marine pollution caused by land-based sources and rehabilitation of mangroves and coral reefs.

The need for regional and international organizations to implement more actionoriented programmes to address the problem of land and sea-based marine pollution was emphasised at the Third Informal AMME. ASOEN was requested to study the means to develop and support such programmes, including various relevant conventions.

As part of an activity to develop a framework for the integrated management of regional coastal zones as called for under the sixth strategy, the Coastal Zone Environmental and Resources Management Project (CZERMP) is under implementation until 1998. This project is a collaborative activity between ASEAN Member Countries and Australia under the ASEAN-Australia Economic Cooperation Programme Phase III (AAECP Phase III). The First Project Coordinating Committee (PCC) of the project was held in December 1996 in Ujung Pandang and marked the inclusion of Vietnam in the project undertakings.

Transboundary Pollution

The main strategy for the ASEAN Working Group on Transboundary Pollution (AWGTP) is the seventh strategic thrust of the Plan of Action. This strategy envisions that ASEAN could promote environmentally sound management of toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes, and control of transboundary movement of hazardous wastes. One of the ongoing activities of the Working Group is ASEAN Cooperation on the Management and Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes within the ASEAN Region. In this regard, the Member Countries agreed to exchange information on the categories of hazardous waste controlled by each country and on the control procedures concerning the movement of such waste and the identification of focal points in each country for such purposes. This is in line with what is called for under one of the programme areas of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution (ACPTP) which was adopted by the ASEAN Environment Ministers in June 1995.

Meanwhile, the ASEAN Environment Ministers at the Third Informal AMME agreed that the role of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) be expanded to include research, monitoring, and early warning system of all climate-related events such as haze plumes and tropical storms. The Ministers had tasked ASOEN to discuss this matter with the ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology (COST). It was also agreed that ASOEN should look into the possibility of establishing a common air quality index for ASEAN. Finally, the project proposal on the publication of a Booklet on ASEAN Achievements and Future Directions in Pollution Control had been approved for funding consideration under the ASEAN Fund. This booklet would chronicle ASEAN's efforts and achievements in minimising pollution, as well as the national programmes that have been undertaken to achieve long-term environmental goals.

Environmental Management

The ASEAN-US Environment Improvement Project (EIP) had conducted project activities which promoted clean production. These activities included technology transfer, environmental business exchanges, and linkages among local and regional ASEAN private industry groups and public agencies and their U.S. industrial and professional counterparts. The Project also promoted the adoption by industries of trade and environmental management standards such as ISO 14000.

This Project is generally supportive of the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action for the Environment, particularly strategy eight, i.e. to develop a system for the promotion of environmentally sound technologies and strategy two, i.e. to promote government-private sector interactions that lead towards the development of policies that mutually support the thrust of each sector. The Project had also established information centres on Clean Technology and Environmental Management (CTEM) in several ASEAN countries. This activity is supportive of ASEAN's desire to establish an information database on available environmental technologies which could service the needs of the private sector.

In a related development, AusAID has appointed the Overseas Project Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) to undertake the implementation phase of the Wastewater Treatment Technology Transfer and Cleaner Production Demonstration Project. This is a collaborative effort with a strong emphasis on consultation and liaison to ensure efficient and effective delivery of the project's objectives, which will foster environmentally sustainable development in the ASEAN region through the implementation of cleaner production technology and improved waste water treatment in the textile, food processing and distilling industries.

At the Third Informal AMME, ASOEN was requested to develop appropriate proposals on Cleaner Technology/Cleaner Production (including Waste Minimization) specifically in the areas of information exchange and dissemination, training and demonstration projects, particularly in collaboration with the private sector, with emphasis on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Environmental Economics

The ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Economics (AWGEE) focused its vision in order to act on the first strategy, that is to support the development of regional framework for integrating environment and development concerns in the decision making process. The ASEAN-UNDP ASP-5 Sub-pro-gramme on Trade and Environment is an example of such an activity, aimed at laying the foundation for reconciling trade and environment policies in the ASEAN region. A draft set of regional guidelines and recommendations for ASEAN policies on trade and environment was developed by the ASEAN Secretariat and a Regional Workshop on Trade and Environment was held in Bali, Indonesia in August 1996 in order to review and comment on the draft guidelines and recommendations. A revised version of the draft was approved by ASOEN in early 1997, which had earlier requested AWGEE to identify and prepare project proposals on the training of environmental officials on issues pertaining to trade and environment. A series of such training seminars are being developed for implementation later in 1997.

The ASEAN UNDP ASP-5 Sub-programme on Trade and Environment aims at laying the foundation for reconciling trade and environment policies in the ASEAN region

Based on the same strategy, a project entitled Environmental and Natural Resources Accounting for ASEAN Countries (ENRA) had been approved for funding support from Canada under its Economy and Environment Programme for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA) Programme. The purpose of the project is to apply and develop a practical accounting system for natural and environmental resources utilization which can be implemented by the ASEAN countries, to study market structure of natural resources in order to determine a basis for pricing policy, to identify economic activities which cause adverse change to the environment and to study the costs of preserving environmental quality. The project commenced in December 1996.

Another project along these lines that is being considered by Canada is the Adaptability of Economic Instruments for Pollution Control in ASEAN Member Countries. This project aims to assess the capacity as well as feasibility of applying economic instruments to pollution prevention and waste management of ASEAN Member Countries with special emphasis on the urban environment. In order to further strengthen the knowledge and information database on environmental matters as called for under strategy three of the Action Plan, the Third Informal AMME agreed on the need to identify a list and establish a pool of ASEAN experts in various fields related to trade and environmental issues and requested the ASEAN Secretariat to coordinate efforts in this regard.

Environmental Information, Public Awareness & Education

The underlying framework for the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Information, Public Awareness And Education is to promote regional activities that strengthen the role of major groups in sustainable development, particularly to strengthen regional information networks and promote the exchange of expertise on environmental education programmes and to develop strategic programmes of action that will strengthen the role and participation of major groups on environmental management and decision-making.

In this regard, an ASEAN Environment Educators Study Tour to Australia was completed in 1996. This activity provided an opportunity for representatives from ASEAN Member Countries to observe environmental education and information programmes in Australia in the context of learning and sharing experiences to enhance the important task of promoting knowledge and action for the protection and conservation of the environment.

Another project that had been endorsed by ASOEN is the Development of an Environment Education Action Plan, which would provide a framework for the development and implementation of environmental education activities, to enhance environmental man-power capability in ASEAN and to initiate mass-based action in managing the environment through information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns.

Another related project is the State of the Environment (SoE) Database and Reporting Training. With UNEP funding support, this project is expected to develop a database network for the SoE in the region based on the environmental data/information provided by Member Countries as a follow-up to Agenda 21. The training session held in Thailand in September 1996, was attended by thirteen participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines. Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Meeting had also agreed that the ASEAN Environment Year and the ASEAN Environment Award be among the flagship projects for funding consideration under the ASEAN Fund. The ASEAN Environment Year (AEY) 1995 and the continuation of some of the activities in 1996 was successful in highlighting ASEAN environmental issues and cooperative programmes in order to stimulate awareness on these issues among the ASEAN populace and to broaden the participatory process in the environment in ASEAN. A concept proposal that more AEYs could be designated in the future years had been formulated for consideration by ASOEN.

Consequently, the Meeting established an Ad-hoc Working Group to look into the development of the ASEAN Environmental Award. It was recommended that there will be two categories for the Award, i.e. individuals and organisations who have made valuable contributions to ASEAN and promoting ASEAN regional cooperation in the area of environment. Such contributions could be a regionally recognised study, research work or activity which have been carried out by the individual or organisation beyond the call of duty. The Award is envisioned to be given every three years, and the ASEAN Fund could be tapped for this purpose.

The Third Informal AMME requested ASOEN to develop and implement programme activities to commemorate ASEAN's 30th Anniversary in 1997 and wherever possible such activities be built into existing or on-going events such as the World Environment Day.