Korea and five Northeast Asian countries have decided to accelerate cooperation to solve regional environmental problems such as fine dust and yellow dust.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 24th, the ‘Declaration commemorating the 30th anniversary of the launch to promote environmental cooperation in Northeast Asia’ with these contents was adopted at the ’26th High-Level Meeting (SOM) of the Northeast Asia Environmental Cooperation Plan (NEASPEC)’ held in Seoul for two days from the 23rd to the 24th. did.
NEASPEC is the region’s only comprehensive intergovernmental environmental consultative body that was launched in 1993 under the leadership of Korea. Along with Korea, China, Japan, Russia, Mongolia, and North Korea are member countries.
The chair country of this meeting is Korea, and it was held face-to-face for the first time since 2019 when the COVID-19 incident broke out.
At the meeting, ongoing projects and activities in five major areas of cooperation – air pollution, nature conservation and biodiversity, marine protected areas, low-carbon cities, desertification and land degradation – were reviewed and ways to expand each member country’s contribution were discussed in depth.
In particular, the adoption of a declaration commemorating the 30th anniversary of its launch is noteworthy.
The declaration calls for expanding partnerships with stakeholders to strengthen contributions to environmental issues in the region, exploring new areas of cooperation that require effective responses, and promoting linkages between science and policy. In order to improve the effectiveness of projects and activities, the SOM system is further strengthened and member countries are encouraged to make voluntary contributions.
Yoon Hyun-soo, Director of the Climate, Environment, and Science Diplomacy Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who presided over the meeting as chairman, said, “NEASPEC has developed into a comprehensive Northeast Asian environmental cooperation body in five major areas of cooperation,” and added, “We hope that member countries will actively seek new areas of cooperation and expand their contributions.” “I do it,” he said.
In addition, he emphasized the importance of cooperation in responding to air pollution in the region, which is being promoted through the ‘Northeast Asia Clean Air Partnership (NEACAP)’ project, a joint response to air pollution in Northeast Asia launched in October 2018, and said, “Let’s develop it into cooperation in the scientific field as soon as possible.” suggested.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs evaluated that this meeting laid the foundation for revitalizing environmental cooperation in Northeast Asia, which had previously had difficulties in progress due to COVID-19.
Source: Donga
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