Environment ministers from Asia-Pacific nations adopted a new action program Tuesday aimed at achieving environmentally sound and sustainable development in the region over the next five years.
At the end of their two-day conference here, ministers from 42 members of the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific also established a network among the regions' local governments to help exchange information on combating environmental problems.
The ESCAP ministers reviewed achievements made under their 1996-2000 action program, which covered 24 areas of concern, and approved a new program that focuses on eight points for 2001-2005.
The eight issues are environmental quality and human health, biodiversity, coastal and marine environments, freshwater resources, desertification and land degradation, globalization and policy integration, climate change and sustainable energy policy.