Delegates from 40 countries from the Asia-Pacific region on Sunday began discussing mutual cooperation and strategies to improve the environment at a one-day conference held in Kitakyushu.

Participants in Eco Asia 2000, mainly organized by the Environment Agency, are exchanging views on such issues as the region's contribution to the "Rio+10" U.N. conference on the environment and development, slated for 2002, and efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Environment Agency chief Yoriko Kawaguchi, selected to chair the meeting, said in her opening address that she hopes frank discussions will be held on two key issues -- regional cooperation toward the success of the Rio+10, and a U.N. conference on climate change scheduled for November in The Hague.

The Hague conference is expected to decide on concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gases, paving the way for the ratification of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which requires developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2 percent from 1990 levels by between 2008 and 2012.