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The 5th Asia-Pacific NGO Environmental Conference

Agra Declaration

"--The world has enough for everybody's needs, but not enough for everybody's greed--"
Mahatma Gandhi

The 5th Asia-Pacific NGO Environmental Conference (APNEC-5) held at Agra, India, 22-24 September 2000 involved 180 participants from 15 countries of the Asia-pacific region. The participants represented a large number of NGOs active in environment and development issues, and included women's group, grassroots organizations, environmental lawyers, educator and academics from throughout the region.

The principal themes addressed at the Conference were: global warming and energy policies, wetland and water resources conservation, environmental education and public participation. Being held in South Asia for the first time, the Conference also discussed environmental issues unique to India and the South Asian sub-region as a whole. In all of these areas, the role of NGOs is crucial in mobilizing public support, in identifying environmental problems and learning lessons from the past experiences, including some success stories.

The Conference examined how the renewed pressures for economic development and restructuring in the Asia-Pacific region were reinforcing environmental pressures and engendering new ones. The Conference attached high priority to the development and widespread use of green and renewable energy, and the dangers of increasing levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. The need for conservation and sustainable management of wetland and water resources was also emphasized. The possibilities of recycling and reuse of water assume great significance in the present context of conservation of wetlands and water resources.

The Conference also discussed problems of industrial pollution, solid waste management, and chemical hazards including those of a trans boundary nature such as trans boundary air and marine pollution. The tragic cases of the survival of humanity is at stake but also the loss of biodiversity and genetic resources has become a serious problem, and highlighted the need to tackle such problems.

Positive trends identified by the participants focused on the role of environmental education in creating mass awareness, and the rapidly growing use of information technology in networking among environmental NGOs and support to grassroots movements. The importance of comprehending, developing and undertaking actions that address the particular concerns of women, youth, and local communities was a recurring theme. Environmental education would continue to play significant role in these efforts.

I. The Conference, recognizing that the region

- is facing serious threats from global warming;
- is yet to fully address itself to the problems of wetlands and water resource conservation;

but at the same time recognizing that many positive steps have been taken in spreading awareness and promoting communication, and environmental education through the efforts of NGOs.
Hereby resolves that:

1. Networking amongst NGOs in the region should be further strengthened;

2. NGOs should be provided with greater opportunities to participate in monitoring the state of the environment and better access to environmental information;

3. National as well as local governments should ensure wider participation and empowerment of women, youth, local communities and indigenous people in environmental management;

4. Environmental NGOs in the region should be actively involved in the negotiating processes of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), such as on ozone layer protection, climate change, biodiversity, desertification, conservation and management of wildlife, and trans boundary movements of hazardous water;

5. National governments and international agencies are called on to promote environmental improvements in the process of recovery from the Asian economic crisis and of poverty alleviation.

II. With respect to some of the more specific issues of the region, the Conference:

1. Emphasizes the urgency of providing measures for relief and undertaking clean-up of contaminated soil and groundwater;
2. Expresses its grave concern over toxic contamination and other environmental problems associated with military bases and operations and urges the authorities concerned to take appropriate measures;
3. Recognizes the importance of Agra as a world heritage and extends its support to the efforts being made by local communities and NGOs to protect its beautiful environment;
4. Urges the governments of South Asia to develop and adopt pro-people and pro-environment policies.

III. The Conference:

1. Proclaims that the Secretariat of Asia-Pacific Environmental Council (AEC) has been set up in Seoul, Korea for a period of 5 years;

2. Appreciates the efforts being made by Japan Environmental Council (JEC) to act as the Center for Environmental Studies in publishing The Asian Environmental White Paper in Japanese, English and Korean, and encourages it to continue its effort to undertake further studies of state of the environmental in the Asia-Pacific region;

3. Supports the establishment of the Center of Environmental Education in India by the Indian Environmental Society;

4. Welcomes the offer of Taiwan to host the 6th Asia-Pacific NGO environmental Conference;

5. Express its deep appreciation to the city and people of Agra for the warm hospitality extended to the participants during the Conference.

Adopted on September 24, 2000 in Agra, India by the participants of the 5th Asian-Pacific NGO Environmental Conference (APNEC5).

Adopted on September 24, 2000 in Agra, India by the participants of the 5th Asian-Pacific NGO Environmental Conference (APNEC5).