Asia-Pacific Environmental Innovation Strategy Project (APEIS)

Partnership website(s):

https://www.env.go.jp/en/earth/ecoasia/APEIS/index.html

Expected Timeframe: July 2002 - March 2005

Partners:

Lead partners denoted by bold italics

Governments:

• Government of Japan - Ministry of the Environment
• Government Asia-Pacific Region

Major Groups:

• Asian Inst. Of Journalism & Communication (Philippines)
• Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand)
• Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (China)
• Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Org (Australia)
• Energy Research Institute (China)
• Indian Institute of Management (India)
• Indonesian Ecosystem Network (Indonesia)
• Inst of Geographical Sciences and (China)
• Inst. For Global Environmental Strategies (Japan)
• Kasetsart University (Thailand)
• Korea Environment Institute (Republic of Korea)
• Kyoto University (Japan)
• Mahidul University (Thailand)
• Nat'l Institute for Environmental Studies (Japan)
• National University of Singapore (Singapore)
• Sangmyung University (Republic of Korea)
• Tata Energy Research Institute (India)
• Thailand Environment Institute (Thailand)
• Universiti Putra Malaysia (Malaysia)
• University of Hong Kong (China)
• Vietnam National University (Viet Nam)
• Wildlife Institute of India (India)
• Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (China)

UN System:

• United Nations University ()

Other intergovernmental organizations:

• Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research ()

Other:

• Institute of Advanced Studies ()
• Natural Resources Research ()

Thematic Focus:

Primary Themes:

• Institutional framework for sustainable development
• Means of Implementation (Trade, Finance, Technology, Transfer, etc.)

Secondary Themes:

• Education
• Disaster management and vulnerability
• Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development

Geographic Coverage:

Geographic Scope:

Regional

Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented:

Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Viet Nam, Australia, Singapore, Philippines, Japan, India

National Focal Points:

At present, no information is available as to whether the partnership has made contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the relevant countries.

Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives:

The main objectives of APEIS include:

• * To develop scientific knowledge-based tools and innovative strategy options to promote informed decision-making for sustainable development, for the use of policy makers in the Asia-Pacific region as a common asset in the region
• * To promote regional cooperation and capacity building, so as to enable Asia-Pacific countries to formulate and implement their own policies for environmental management and protection that take into account their national circumstances, making use of the developed scientific tools and options, through participation and collaboration in the Project.

APEIS is a concrete regional initiative to realize the following part of the World Summit on Sustainable Development Plan of Implementation:

104. Assist developing countries, through international cooperation, to enhance their capacity in their efforts to address issues pertaining to environmental protection including in their formulation and implementation of policies for environmental management and protection, including through urgent actions at all levels to:

• (a) Improve their use of science and technology for environmental monitoring, assessment models, accurate database and integrated information systems;
• (b) Promote and, where appropriate, improve their use of satellite technologies for quality data collection, verification and updating and further improvement of aerial and ground-based observations, in support of their efforts to collect quality, accurate, long-term, consistent and reliable data;

Expected results include the development of:

• * Monitoring methodologies and networks that cover environmental disasters and degradation, and make full use of satellite technologies
• * A set of assessment models to assess and predict the trends of environmental emissions and natural resources, and subsequent impacts
• * A strategic database and innovative strategy options for practical use of policy makers enabling informed decision-making

Partnership targets:

Specific target products of APEIS in the first phase (FY2002-FY2004) include:

• * Knowledge-based tools for decision-making in selected countries including:
  • - Environmental disaster monitoring methodologies and network
  • - Environmental degradation monitoring methodologies and network
  • - A set of assessment models such as an environment-economy model, an ecosystem/health impact model, a water resource/agriculture model, a material/recycle-economy model and an energy technology model
  • - Strategic databases and indicators readily available for policy making
  • - A good practices inventory
  • - An inventory of innovative instruments
• * Priority strategy options in key areas of, for example:
  • - Natural resource management (for example, water management, food production, sustainable tourism and sustainable forestry)
  • - Environmental market, such as environmental industry and finance
  • - Environmental technology, such as renewable energy and information technology
  • - Awareness and partnership, such as eco-consciousness, environmental education and participation
• * Capacity building activities on tool development and utilization, and strategy option awareness and application
• * Information sharing and outreach system for policy-makers, scientists and the public

Progress against targets:

Two capacity building workshops were held in 2002. One was on integrated environmental monitoring held 20-21 September 2002 in Beijing, China, and the other was on integrated environmental assessment held 24-26 October 2002 in Delhi, India, part of which was open to the public as a side event of COP8/UNFCCC.

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer:

• Human resources development/training
• Education/building awareness

Capacity building is one of the highest-priority activities in APEIS. Participation in the scientific activities in APEIS offers research institutes a good opportunity for capacity building at a research level. In addition, the findings of APEIS activities will be widely disseminated and shared among researchers, policy makers and the public for their capacity building through workshops and other measures. A series of scientific capacity building workshops at the sub-regional level will be organized periodically on specific topics, such as integrated monitoring, integrated assessment and policy options in collaboration with the APN and other institutions.

How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation

• Regional cooperation and capacity building
• Science and technology for environmental monitoring, assessment models
• Information for decision-making

Coordination Mechanism of the Partnership:

• * The ministerial Environment Congress for Asia and the Pacific (ECO ASIA) is the principal audience of APEIS to receive reports of the scientific activities, and also to provide policy guidance to the activities.
• * As one of its functions, the ECO ASIA Panel, established under ECO ASIA, reviews and endorses the overall project, and coordinates between the scientific activities and policy makers. It consists of senior environmental officials from Asia-Pacific countries, and representatives from international organizations and projects such as APEIS that have been endorsed by ECO ASIA.
• * The Research Coordination Committee (RCC) has been established to promote linkages and coordination between the three sub-projects, and to develop a draft overall research plan and summary reports to be reviewed by the ECO ASIA Panel.

Implementation Mechanism of the Partnership:

Funding Currently Available:

• Amount in US$: 0
• Source(s): Government
• Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Non-financial resources available:

• Type(s):
• Source(s):

Funding Sought:

• Required Amount in US$: 0
• Source(s) already approached:

Non-financial resources sought:

• Requirement(s):
• Source(s) approached and details:

Additional Relevant Information

No additional information at present.