Asia. In general, widespread concern over pollution and natural resources has
led to legislation to curb emissions and conserve natural resources. Governments
are increasingly active in promoting environmental compliance and enforcement,
although the latter is still a problem in parts of the region. The use of economic
incentives and disincentives is becoming more widespread as a method of
achieving environmental protection and for promoting resource use efficiency
and pollution fines are common. Industrial groups in both low- and high-income
countries are becoming more receptive to environmental concerns over industrial
production. Environmental funds have been established in many countries and
have contributed to the prominent role of NGOs in environmental action. Many
countries support public participation and in some countries this is a requirement
of law. However, education and awareness levels amongst the public are often
low, and the environmental information base in the region is weak. Multilateral
agreements in three major regions are beginning to take shape: in South Asia,
South-East Asia and North-East Asia. This has been prompted by concern over
transboundary air pollution, that was graphically demonstrated in South-East
Asia during the Indonesian forest fires, but which has been demonstrated by
monitoring programmes in China, Korea and Japan, and to a lesser extent in
other Asian countries.
South Asia. Of the Asian sub-regions, South Asia (including Bangladesh, India,
Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka) is at the earliest stage of
the air pollution policy cycle but has started to make progress in recent years. The
most significant development in recent years is the ‘Male´ Declaration on Control
and Prevention of Air Pollution and its likely Transboundary Effects for South
Asia’, which was adopted at the 7th Governing Council meeting of SACEP
(South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme) where Environmental
Ministers met in Male´ , Maldives, in 1998. The Declaration encourages
intergovernmental co-operation to address the increasing threat of transboundary
air pollution and its associated impacts. At the heart of the Declaration is the
promotion of an institutional framework that links scientific research and policy
formulation. The first phase of the implementation of the Declaration has now
been completed and resulted in baseline reports of the status of air pollution in the
region and the development of national and sub-regional action plans. The
second phase will continue to promote regional co-operation and will see the
establishment of a standardized monitoring network in the region.
South-East Asia. In South-East Asia the issue of transboundary pollution was
first highlighted in the 1990 Kuala Lumpur Accord on Environment and
Development. The 1992 Singapore Summit identified it as among the major
environmental concerns of the Association of South-East Asian Nations
(ASEAN). In 1995 the ASEAN Co-operation Plan on Transboundary Pollution
was adopted. The ASEAN Co-operative Plan on Transboundary Pollution
consists of three programme areas, namely: transboundary atmospheric pollution;
transboundary movement of hazardous waste; and transboundary shipborne
pollution. The programme area on transboundary atmospheric pollution has
been set up:
ASEAN, ASEAN Co-operative Plan on Transboundary Pollution. ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, 1995.
A Perspective on Global Air Pollution Problems
49
led to legislation to curb emissions and conserve natural resources. Governments
are increasingly active in promoting environmental compliance and enforcement,
although the latter is still a problem in parts of the region. The use of economic
incentives and disincentives is becoming more widespread as a method of
achieving environmental protection and for promoting resource use efficiency
and pollution fines are common. Industrial groups in both low- and high-income
countries are becoming more receptive to environmental concerns over industrial
production. Environmental funds have been established in many countries and
have contributed to the prominent role of NGOs in environmental action. Many
countries support public participation and in some countries this is a requirement
of law. However, education and awareness levels amongst the public are often
low, and the environmental information base in the region is weak. Multilateral
agreements in three major regions are beginning to take shape: in South Asia,
South-East Asia and North-East Asia. This has been prompted by concern over
transboundary air pollution, that was graphically demonstrated in South-East
Asia during the Indonesian forest fires, but which has been demonstrated by
monitoring programmes in China, Korea and Japan, and to a lesser extent in
other Asian countries.
South Asia. Of the Asian sub-regions, South Asia (including Bangladesh, India,
Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka) is at the earliest stage of
the air pollution policy cycle but has started to make progress in recent years. The
most significant development in recent years is the ‘Male´ Declaration on Control
and Prevention of Air Pollution and its likely Transboundary Effects for South
Asia’, which was adopted at the 7th Governing Council meeting of SACEP
(South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme) where Environmental
Ministers met in Male´ , Maldives, in 1998. The Declaration encourages
intergovernmental co-operation to address the increasing threat of transboundary
air pollution and its associated impacts. At the heart of the Declaration is the
promotion of an institutional framework that links scientific research and policy
formulation. The first phase of the implementation of the Declaration has now
been completed and resulted in baseline reports of the status of air pollution in the
region and the development of national and sub-regional action plans. The
second phase will continue to promote regional co-operation and will see the
establishment of a standardized monitoring network in the region.
South-East Asia. In South-East Asia the issue of transboundary pollution was
first highlighted in the 1990 Kuala Lumpur Accord on Environment and
Development. The 1992 Singapore Summit identified it as among the major
environmental concerns of the Association of South-East Asian Nations
(ASEAN). In 1995 the ASEAN Co-operation Plan on Transboundary Pollution
was adopted. The ASEAN Co-operative Plan on Transboundary Pollution
consists of three programme areas, namely: transboundary atmospheric pollution;
transboundary movement of hazardous waste; and transboundary shipborne
pollution. The programme area on transboundary atmospheric pollution has
been set up:
ASEAN, ASEAN Co-operative Plan on Transboundary Pollution. ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, 1995.
A Perspective on Global Air Pollution Problems
49