The Environmental Management
It is becoming
apparent that air and water pollution and the problem of solid waste disposal
resulting from globalization and growth in developing countries is having a
deleterious effect on health and living conditions. There is now a strong sense
of crisis about cross-border environmental problems, such as global warming and
acid rain, resulting in multilateral treaties related to the environment that
are ratified by many developing countries.
Developing
countries have promoted solutions to these problems at their own initiative by
setting up environmental ministries or similar bodies and updating relevant
legislation. However, environmental problems are a relatively new area and they
have not been addressed satisfactorily for lack of expertise, personnel, and
financial resources. Taking action after global ecosystems and people’s health
have already been damaged would be too late. Efforts in line with the
international framework based on prevention principles are therefore necessary.
In response to
the announcement of Our Common Future by the World Commission on Environment
and Development in 1987 and the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, we have strengthened our
response to pollution control. Environmental issues are widespread, involving
many factors and people, so these problems cannot be solved in a short period
of time.
Therefore, we
are implementing cooperation projects that aim to improve the capacity for
dealing with the environment so that the people in developing countries and
related organizations can solve the problems on their own in a sustainable way.
The focus is placed on graduated cooperation suitable for the development
situations of developing countries, various types of participation in
development, and the development of effective environmental management
capacities based on environmental science and technology.
In cooperation
for environmental centers that serve the base of environmental analysis and
human development in each county, South-South cooperation to support
neighbouring countries is implemented to spread the effects of cooperation
efficiently and promote cross-border support for environmental issues.
Our specific
measures are in the following domains:
o
Support
for environmental centers
o Air pollution countermeasures
o Water pollution countermeasures
o Solid waste disposal
o Global warming
o Acid rain countermeasures.