EARTH SUMMIT+5 Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise the Implementation of Agenda 21 New York, 23-27 June 1997 PROGRAMME FACT SHEETS

	Regional Action Programme for Environmentally Sound and Sustainable Development (ESSD) in Asia and the Pacific 1996-2000.
	Responsible Organization(s)	UN/ESCAP
	Description	The regional action programme is to promote the implementation of priority programme areas of Agenda 21 in the Asian and Pacific region. It is a timely response to the major environmental problems identified in the 1995 State of the Environment Report in Asia and the Pacific. The formulation of the Regional Action Programme was a lengthy process that began with the adoption of the Framework of Regional Action for Sustainable Development at the High Level Meeting on Environmentally Sound and Sustainable Development (ESSD) held at Kuala Lumpur in February 1993. The draft regional action programme was first negotiated at the High Level Meeting on ESSD held at Manila in 1995. It was further reviewed by the Regional Technical Meeting Preparatory to the Conference held at Port Vila in July 1995 and the Preparatory Meeting for the Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in August 1995. Subsequently it was adopted by the Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific Bangkok in November 1995.
	Issues addressed	The Regional Action Programme envisages the achievement of 141 tangible results through promotion of projects and activities in 24 programme areas under the scope of: pollution reduction, prevention and control and enhancement of environmental quality, conservation and management of natural resources and ecosystems, sustainable development policy improvement, and sustainable development indicators and assessment.
	Objectives	To address effectively and in a systematic manner, the issues listed above at the regional, national as well as local level on priority basis in the Asian and Pacific region. Its main purpose is to promote projects and activities at the regional level that are necessary to support national-level actions.
	Results achieved	Speedy implementation of priority programme areas of Agenda 21 in the Asian and Pacific region. A mid-term review on the implementation of Regional Action Programme will take place in late 1997.
	Lessons learned	Similar programmes can be developed in other regions of the world. The process of its formulation and implementation could help other concerned UN organizations/agencies in streamlining their programmes and activities on country driven needs.
	Financing	Governments of Japan and the Netherlands, UNDP and UNEP.
	Contact	Mr. Guangchang Shi, Director Environment and Natural Resources Management Division United Nations-ESCAP, United Nations Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: (662) 288-1510 Fax: (662) 288-1000.