Environmental cooperation in Northeast Asia

Abstract

The countries of Northeast Asia — the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation —vary in size and are diverse in their economies and natural environments. Serious environmental problems, both national and transboundary, exist in the region, such as the long-distance transport of air pollutants. Addressing and engaging these problems requires extensive regional cooperation. Already a number of cooperative activities are underway, such as the Northeast Asian Subregional Programme of Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC), the Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM), and the Tumen River Area Development Programme (TRADP). The factors found to be important for effective regional cooperation include shared learning from national experiences, sensitivity to traditional values and customs, and involving the full range of interested and affected parties.