NEASPEC Addressing Transboundary Air Pollution in North-East Asia

1. United Nations ESCAP NEASPEC Addressing Transboundary Air Pollution in North-East Asia Masakazu ICHIMURA Chief, Environment Section Environment and Sustainable Development Division (ESDD) UNESCAP

2. Introduction • What ESCAP is…? • UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) • One of the five Regional Commissions under Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), like ECE, ECLAC, ESCWA, ECA • Regional arm of UN Secretariat in AP region • Commission - main economic and social development forum within UN system in AP

3. Introduction • What ESCAP does…? • Convenes Commission and other important fora in the region (multi-disciplinary socio-economic topics and multi-ministerial outreach) • Follows-up and coordinates the implementation of their recommendations (specific programmes and projects for regional and subregional cooperation and integration) • Altogether, promotes sustainable economic and social development

4. Introduction • Just a few examples of Regional/ Subregional Fora supported by ESCAP • Organizes Five-yearly Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific (MCED) and coordinates inter-agency implementation of their recommendations. • Coordinates Regional Process for CSD (RIM) • Coordinates Regional Follow-up to G8 Gleneagles Dialogue for Low Carbon Economy • Initiated AP Seminar on Climate Change in cooperation with Ministry of Environment GOJ • Meeting of Senior Officials on Environmental Cooperation in North East Asia (NEASPEC/ SOM)

5. NEASPEC – Framework • North-East Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC) • Initiative started in 1993 as an immediate follow up to UNCED (Rio Summit) in 1992 • NEASPEC Framework developed and adopted in 1996 as a formal agreement by six countries • Defined as the only intergovernmental and comprehensive mechanism for environmental cooperation in the subregion • Functions as a policy dialogue forum dealing with environmental issues with common concern of the countries in the subregion, in parallel with pursuing environmental co-operation projects • Commended as a major achievement in the post-UNCED process in AP region

6. NEASPEC - Framework Geographical Coverage • China • DPR Korea • Japan • Mongolia • Republic of Korea • Russian Federation

7. NEASPEC - Projects • First Phase 1997 -1999 • Operations and Maintenance Training for Reduction of Sulfur Dioxide in Older Coal-Fired Electricity Generation (Implemented) • Demonstration of Clean Coal-Fired Power Plant Technology (Implemented) • North-East Asian Biodiversity Management Program • North-East Asian Seed Research and Information Base for Forests and Grasslands • Environmental Pollution Data Collection, Intercalibration, Standardization and Analysis (Implemented) • Starting with the first Demonstration and On-site Workshop on Clean Coal Technology in Tongliao, China, sixteen activities including technology demonstration and on-site workshops, expert meetings, and project review meetings were conducted.

8. NEASPEC - Projects • Second Phase 2000 - 2004 • Pollution Reduction in Coal-fired Power Plants (implemented) • Environmental Monitoring, Data Collection, Comparability and Analysis (implemented) • Efficiency Improvement of Electrostatic Precipitators in Existing Power Plants (implemented) • Demonstration of Dry Sorbent Duct Injection FGD Technology • Activities included • exchange of ambient air quality data, • development of training programmes on air pollution monitoring and emission reduction in coal-fired power plants, • conduct of 13 training courses, expert group meetings and national/subregional workshops, and • preparation of action plans for pollution reduction at the plant level and at the subregional level.

9. NEASPEC - Projects • Current Phase • Nature Conservation (Ongoing since 2005 ) • Improvement of Eco-Efficiency (preliminary research completed) • North-East Asian Environment Outlook (UNEP RRC-AP, proposal submitted) • Mitigation of Transboundary Air Pollution from Coal-Fired Power Plants in North-East Asia (ADB-RETA Finance, proposal submitted) • SOM12 (6-7 December - postponed)

10. NEASPEC - Transboundary Air Pollution • Mitigation of Transboundary Air Pollution from Coal-Fired Power Plants in North-East Asia • ADB Finance USD 900 thousand for 3 Years, supplemented by counterpart finance by participating countries and UNESCAP • Proposed Components under review • Transboundary Pollution Assessment. • Transboundary Air Pollution Abatement Plans. • Mongolian Power Plant Emission Standards. • Knowledge Transfer and Dissemination. • Demonstration Project and Management Modules. • Targeted to start early 2007

11. Prevention and Control of Dust and Sandstorm (DSS) in Northeast Asia • Proposed and Discussed in NEASPEC/SOMs • Financed by GEF • Jointly implemented by China, Mongolia, ROK and Japan with support from ADB, UNCCD, UNEP and UNESCAP from 2003 to 2005 • Developed a Regional Master Plan with two follow-up project proposal • Regional Monitoring and Early Warning Network for Dust and Sandstorms in Northeast Asia • Joint Demonstration Project for Preventing and Controlling DSS in Source Areas in China and Mongolia

12. Thank You • Consultation ongoing with potentially additional donors and partners • Seek for inter-agency / inter-programme collaborations • Any comments, suggestions, proposal welcome Contact:Environment and Sustainable Development Division (ESDD)UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)UN Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, 10200 Bangkok, Thailand(ichimura@un.org)