NEWS RELEASE
JINGHONG, PRC (18 MAY 2012) Senior environment officials from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries met to discuss priority actions for an environmentally-friendly GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
“The first five years were about building awareness and appreciation of improved environmental management in the GMS. We have that foundation in place and now the emphasis is on scaling up,” said Sanath Ranawana, Senior Natural Resource Management Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The officials, members of the Working Group on Environment, are finalizing an 18-month work plan for the Core Environment Program, a multi-year program tasked with mainstreaming environmental considerations into GMS economic development.
The ADB-administered program was established in 2006 amid growing concerns over ecosystem fragmentation and other environmental issues in the GMS. Its work will continue to focus on environmental planning, and climate, biodiversity and livelihood initiatives as it begins its next five-year phase of operation.
The program has received recognition for establishing biodiversity conservation ‘corridors’ linking protected areas, as well as introducing systems for reporting on environmental performance, and planning tools such as strategic environmental assessments.
“Natural resources underpin economic growth in the GMS and we need to make sure these resources are sustainably managed so they continue to provide economic, social, and environmental benefits long into the future,” said Chuon Chanrithy, the representative from Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment.
The first phase of the Core Environment Program Initiative was co-financed by the Governments of Finland, Netherlands, and Sweden, as well as PRC’s Poverty Reduction Cooperation Fund.
Under funding from the Government of Finland, second phase (2012-2016) activities are expected to begin in the GMS countries – Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam – from June onwards.
To access presentations and other materials from the meeting, visit the WGE AM-18 event page.
Published: 16th May 2012
Event
Champasak, Lao PDR
Date: 28 to 29 October 2013
The GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE) met on 30 October 2013 in Champasak, Lao PDR, to review CEP implementation progress and endorse the 2014 work-plan. Also discussed were the GMS Regional Investment Framework environment pipeline and preliminary concept and preparatory work for the 4th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting.
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Beijing, PRC
Date:
The GMS Working Group on Environment met on 25 October in Beijing, PRC, to review CEP's 2012 implementation progress and upcoming priorities. All the meeting documents and presentations are listed below, including the meeting minutes.
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