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Closing the Knowledge-Action Gap Strategic Research for Sustainability in Asia and the Pacific

Table of Contents ► Foreword: Closing the Knowledge-Action Gap 2 ► Networking and Knowledge in Policy Formulation 3 ► Climate Policy in Asia 5 ► Urban Environmental Management 8 ► Participatory Forest Management 11 ► Corporate Sustainability Management 13 ► Development of Environmental Industries 15 ► Adopting Education for Sustainability 18 ► Capacity Development for Sustainability 21

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Foreword: Closing the Knowledge-Action Gap

The nations in Asia and the Pacific region share many of the same global environmental challenges. At the same time, they face a number of specific problems related to the environmental, demographic, economic, and social diversity of the region. With regard to the major environmental and developmental challenges facing the region, a wealth of knowledge has been generated over the ten years that have passed since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. There is undoubtedly a broader and deeper understanding of the state of the environment, socio-economic development, and their respective interactions. On the other hand, there is a persistent feeling that the level of actions taken to address these problems has lagged behind the progress in scientific knowledge of their underlying causes, effects, and possible means of solution. The gap between knowledge and action keeps affecting progress towards sustainable development. In this respect, IGES, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, has made research efforts to fill this gap since its establishment in 1998. It now endeavors to work towards the publication of a “White Paper on the Environment in Asia and the Pacific” by the end of the year 2004. The IGES White Paper is intended to not only analyze environmental challenges, but also bring forward innovative policy options and strategies for further actions towards sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific region. It is hoped that the process and outcome of the White Paper will promote dynamic partnerships and contribute to bridge scientific knowledge generation and policy decision-making. This document deals with ongoing research activities. It is, however, a part of the preparatory work introducing IGES’s activities towards the publication of the IGES White Paper on the Environment in Asia and the Pacific. We welcome your comments on this issue and the plan for the IGES White Paper.

Akio Morishima Chair of the Board of Directors and President Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

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Networking and Knowledge in Policy Formulation One of the major achievements of the Rio Summit was the enhancement of participation by all stakeholders in the process of policy formulation and decision-making. Indeed, ensuring broad-based participation is the ultimate guarantee that all social actors that need to take action in turning policy proposals into concrete measures towards sustainable development are fully supportive of the decision-making process and committed to its implementation. The Long-Term Perspective and Policy Integration Project of IGES aims to create dynamic interactions between relevant stakeholders in the process of policy formulation and decision-making, through a cross-cutting approach to key environmental issues facing Asia and the Pacific region. 1. Challenges and opportunities Broad-based participation in policy formulation and decision-making generally involves a variety of stakeholders with different forms of knowledge, as well as a different understanding of the issues at stake. The knowledge base of local communities, governmental officials, people in businesses and industries, and researchers, etc., that may be involved in environmental policy formulation provides diverse perspectives that can enrich and widen the spectrum of options in addressing challenges of sustainable development. In this respect, social networking has much to contribute to enhancing knowledge-based decision-making processes. At the same time, in the context of such a diverse region as Asia and the Pacific, broad-based social networks in policy formulation and decision-making are associated with a host of challenges, relating not only to the diversity in the social, environmental, and economic conditions of countries, but also to the costs associated with broad involvement when considered at the regional level. 2. Areas for further action ► Create mechanisms that involve all relevant stakeholders as partners, not merely recipients, in the process of generating information for decision-making. ► Ensure that information generation aimed at policymaking is part of the policymaking process, not an external dimension to it. ► Enhance informed decision-making by making full use of research and experience-generated information by all stakeholders, including traditional and indigenous knowledge, as well as the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT). ► Enhance networking among researchers and research institutes in Asia and the Pacific in order to address issues of regional and global importance.

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3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Long-Term Perspective and Policy Integration Project of IGES is endeavoring to carry out the following activities: ► Under the framework of the Asia-Pacific Environmental Innovation Strategy Project (APEIS), develop knowledge-based tools to promote informed decision-making for sustainable development, for use by policymakers in Asia and the Pacific region. The APEIS project is a research project involving several research organizations across Asia and the Pacific region. The project aims to develop innovative strategies for sustainable development through joint research, environmental cooperation, and capacity building so as to enable the Asia-Pacific countries to formulate their own policies that take into account their national circumstances.1 ► Collect best practices and innovative policy instruments in key areas of sustainable development, and formulate proposals of strategic policy options that reflect specific needs and diversified national circumstances. Strategic policy options will be proposed in five areas of environmental innovation, which are the creation of eco-markets and eco-industry, technological development, innovative urban systems, appropriate use of community resources, and networking of small-sized innovations. ► Promote networking and collaboration among countries, relevant organizations, and other stakeholders in the process of policy formulation. ► Create a framework in which scientific activities and policymakers interact synergistically and constructively, and fully incorporate and utilize resources of existing regional initiatives, activities, and projects through collaboration. ► Support, through intellectual input, the activities of the Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED). Officially launched in October 2001, APFED is an independent forum of eminent persons which aims to explore a new model for development and present it to policymakers and other persons of influence across the world.2 ► Explore the environmental implications of the IT revolution and the potential of information and communication technologies for environmental improvement through research and involvement in undertakings such as the Regional Initiative on ICT and the Environment in Asia and the Pacific (ICTEAP) led by the United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (UNEP/ROAP). For more information, please contact the Long-Term Perspective and Policy Integration Project, IGES (e-mail: miyazaki@iges.or.jp).

1 http://www.iges.or.jp/APEIS/RISPO/index.html. 2 See APFED Message to the WSSD at http://www.iges.or.jp/apfed-message/index.html.

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Climate Policy in Asia The IGES Climate Policy Project organized a series of international workshops to facilitate an in-depth analysis and discussion on climate change issues in Asia. The workshops were conducted in China, Korea, India, Thailand and Vietnam, in cooperation with the UNEP Collaboration Center of Energy and Environment (UCCEE) based in Denmark, and host country institutes, such as the Energy Research Institute (ERI) of China, the Korea Environment Institute (KEI), the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) in India, the Thailand Environmental Research Institute (TEI), the National Environmental Agency of Vietnam, and the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia. The workshops resulted in identification of important climate change issues in the region, as well as country-specific needs, opportunities and constraints, and areas for further action. 1. Challenges and Opportunities Asian countries, which are expected to be the largest source of emissions of carbon dioxide in the future, share a number of issues in coping with climate change. However, the heterogeneous nature of countries in the region requires an assessment of country-specific needs and potential. In this context, the region needs to realize the widest possible cooperation of all countries and an effective and appropriate international response, in accordance with the common but differentiated responsibilities enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 2. Areas for further action a. At the national level ► In China, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)3 is regarded as an instrument to attract international financial flows. For this to happen, new attractive areas and priorities for CDM projects in China need to be identified. The lack of common understanding between parties on the supply and demand sides of CDM funding remains as a barrier to implement CDM projects. Institutional aspects, such as baselines and tracking systems, also present barriers. ► In Korea, the voluntary and active participation of Non-Annex I countries of the UNFCCC is a main issue. Unilateral participation in the CDM is regarded as an option.

3 The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the flexibility mechanisms set by Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol in order to lower the overall cost of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released to the atmosphere in Annex I countries of the UNFCCC, as well as to support sustainable development in Non-Annex 1 countries.

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► In India, the potential of using renewable energy to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is of particular importance, considering that major renewable energy projects have been initiated recently. ► In Thailand, improvements in energy efficiency, especially with regard to lignite use, would substantially contribute to further reductions in GHG emissions. ► In Vietnam and Cambodia, there is a need for capacity building. There is also a need for correcting a general bias in the assistance programs of donor countries that favor a few major developing countries solely because of consideration of their market potential. b. At the regional level ► Integrate climate change policies within the framework of sustainable development. ► Link climate and energy policies (such as effective implementation of energy conservation and energy efficiency programs) and institutional restructuring. ► Implement existing policies effectively, such as urban land use planning to control GHG emissions in the transportation sector. ► Strengthen the political will and raise public awareness on climate change issues, especially for implementing climate policy in developing countries. ► Include market forces and mechanisms along with good government regulations in climate change policies. ► Remove obstacles in order to enable the CDM to be a key instrument for achieving both GHG mitigation and sustainable development. ► Provide capacity building on the basics of climate change and the CDM for politicians and government officials, who play an important role in creating and implementing policies. ► Disseminate information to potential stakeholders by organizing regular forums and workshops on climate change at the national, regional, and international levels. Due to its rich experience in tackling environmental issues and its economic prowess, Japan is urged in various fora to play a leadership role on climate change issues in the region.

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3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Climate Policy Project of IGES is endeavoring to carry out the following activities: ► Present domestic measures for combating climate change issues. ► Study further actions/commitments beyond the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC. ► Develop adaptation measures by developing countries in the region. ► Hold capacity building seminars in selected countries. ► Explore the prospects for wider collaboration with institutions in Asia to address climate change issues. For more information, please contact the Climate Policy Project, IGES (e-mail: t-miyazaki@iges.or.jp).

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Urban Environmental Management The IGES Urban Environmental Management Project (IGES-UE) has carried out three major strategic research projects on urban environments in Asia and the Pacific, relating to (1) process dynamics of urban environmental evolution, (2) energy demand and GHG emissions in Asia’s megacities, and (3) the Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment. Given the previous in-depth analysis and discussion on urban environmental management in the Asia-Pacific region, the project aims to develop strategic policy applications that serve as guidelines of urban environmental management policy in the region, where environmental stresses are increasing in the built-up urban areas. 1. Challenges and opportunities Current environmental problems in Asia impose an enormous burden on urbanized regions, because cities tend to be both the victims and agents of environmental damage. However, the evidence available so far on urban environments in the selected East and Southeast Asian cities presents a rather mixed picture. In other words, the nature of environmental problems in these cities varies from country to country. The experiences drawn from Japan and Korea suggest that they are now encountering lifestyle-related environmental issues derived from high-consumption lifestyles, whereas many Chinese cities experience serious challenges due to rapid industrialization and lack of effective environmental management. Studies of Southeast Asian cities revealed that the urban environmental issues today are still related to poverty, such as low access to safe water and lack of sanitation facilities. As identified in the IGES-UE Project first phase studies, most Asian cities face serious challenges in terms of urban environmental management, ranging from severe deficits of urban service provision to rapidly growing pollution from both automobile and industrial sectors. Two major approaches are evident in attempts to address the urban environmental challenges in Asian cities: (1) expanding investment in urban environmental infrastructures, and (2) establishing regulatory frameworks on environmental pollution. Indeed, in responding to these challenges, there have been a number of achievements over the past decades. A few Asian industry-based cities, including Kitakyushu in Japan, Ulsan in Korea, and Dalian in China, are regarded as showcases for overcoming environmental distress by adopting cleaner technologies (Kitakyushu), strong enforcement of industrial relocation (Dalian), or strong commitment to urban environment management at the municipal level (Ulsan).

Concerning the expansion of urban environmental infrastructures, it was observed that several Asian cities mitigated to some extent the deficit of urban environmental infrastructure through the introduction of new financing alternatives, such as public-

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private partnerships (PPP) and private finance initiatives (PFI). Yet, the reality of urban environmental management in those cities is still not promising. In fact, the majority of municipal governments responding to these urban environmental problems are primarily dependent on conventional measures (command-and-control frameworks, reactionary measures, and demand-led policies) due to several constraints that the Asian cities have encountered so far. Specifically, these constraints can be summarized as follows. First, the developing Asian cities suffer from poor financial capacity at both central and local levels. Although most Asian cities have recognized their increasing environmental pressures, they cannot afford to provide sufficient levels of urban environmental infrastructure, which require tremendous amounts of financial resources. In reality, the delivery of these services in the majority of the developing Asian cities is limited mostly to a few basic services, including freshwater and sanitation. Second, they experience not only a lack of political will and commitment towards a sustainable urban environment, but also the absence of effective environmental management, due mainly to shortages of well-trained professional staff. Such deficiencies in institutional capacities appear to be significant barriers to addressing environmental distresses in the Asian cities. 2. Areas for further action ► Provide closer examination on major driving forces and governing factors of urban environmental evolution. ► Establish scientific methods forecasting the future prospects of urban environments. ► Enhance the capacities of urban environmental management at local levels. ► Facilitate policy dialogues and capacity building on effective urban environmental management, focusing on creating and implementing policies. ► Promote inter-city cooperation on environmental management, through, inter alia, the

Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment.4 ► Develop innovative measures for sustainable urban environmental management. 3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Urban Environmental Management Project of IGES endeavored to investigate the current status of urban environments in Asia and the Pacific region during the first phase of research activity (FY1998–FY2001). The lessons from these empirical studies on urban environments in Asia suggest that new, alternative approaches are obviously needed. 4 http://www.iges.or.jp/kitakyushu/

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As proven, most existing environmental practices are quite limited in terms of their range and effectiveness. These conventional measures appeared somewhat effective over the short-term in mitigating urban environmental problems, but revealed their own limitations in the long-term. In other words, the prerequisites of the new alternative approaches are that they should be precautionary and stakeholder-based—not resource-intensive. In this sense, it can be said that the Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment, in which IGES-UE provides very relevant works in both research and administration, would be much better to attempt to prioritize short- or mid-term urban environmental practices using a long-term perspective. The Urban Environmental Management Project of IGES endeavors to carry out the following activities: ► Identify and analyze major driving forces and governing factors of urban environmental evolution. ► Quantify and forecast the energy demand and supply of the urban sector, with a special

focus on reducing GHG emissions in the Asian megacities. ► Analyze and disseminate best practices of urban environmental management in Asia and the Pacific. ► Develop comprehensive policy options for sustainable urban environmental management in Asia and the Pacific. Future urban environmental challenges in these Asian cities are likely to be quite different from those experienced in the past. As urban areas rapidly expand, the periphery of the major metropolitan areas fills with newly built residential towns. The issue of industries being located in urban areas is becoming increasingly problematic, especially the clustering of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the old urban districts of many Asian cities. “Extended metropolises” are expected to cause even greater environmental stresses than today, including longer commuting distances, excessive dependence on automobiles, and the loss of greenery and natural habitats. Considering these urban environmental challenges in Asia, the need for sounder policy measures is becoming increasingly apparent. For more information, please contact the Urban Environmental Management Project, IGES (e-mail: k-takada@iges.or.jp).

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Participatory Forest Management Sustainable forest management is of crucial importance in Asia and the Pacific region. It also has global implications. Although many approaches should be taken into consideration to achieve the goal of sustainable forest management, findings of the first phase of the IGES Forest Conservation Project point to the need for participatory forest management following two specific approaches—one local and one international. Studies regarding the local approach relied on participatory action research (PAR). The long process of PAR can be conceptualized into five phases: (1) the initiation phase, consisting of preparation and investigation to understand the present situation and identify problems; (2) the planning phase, including negotiation and preparation for action; (3) the implementation phase, in which local people take action; (4) the evaluation and monitoring phase, in which the actions related to forest management are examined; and (5) the observation and reflection phase, in connection with all the other phases. Studies regarding the international approach focused on legal and economic aspects. The legal aspects were approached through two main activities: gathering information on international conferences, such as the first and the second substantive meetings of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), and analyzing legal systems related to participation. The economic aspects were approached by two main activities: understanding the situation of forest and timber certification systems and timber distribution in Indonesia, and gathering information on forest industries and timber distribution in Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East through a questionnaire survey and interviews. 1. Challenges and opportunities The major issues and challenges identified in regard to participatory forest management in three target countries which are now reforming forestry policy in Asia and the Pacific are outlined below.

• Indonesia: (1) reforms of forest policy in accordance with the concepts of participation and decentralization, (2) chaos as a result of drastic decentralization, and (3) rapid deforestation and degradation of forests due to various factors, such as forest fires, large-scale plantations, logging, and slash-and-burn agriculture.

• Laos: (1) insufficient measures and mechanisms to implement the new forest law, (2) recent reaction to and trend of efforts to transfer the responsibility of forest management to the local people.

• Russian Far East: (1) dynamic reform of forest policy, (2) strong impact of the Asian countries on the management of local forests, and (3) changes in local forest management, along with changes in the national economic system.

It is expected that research findings in these three countries can provide lessons on participatory forest management for other countries in the region.

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2. Areas for further action ► Community-wide action is evident and necessary in areas where primary forests remain. ► Develop social capital, such as collaboration and networks, norms, and rules. ► Focus on collective action in which organized participation is the main feature. Under collective action, minimal labor and funds are needed, because the work will be focused on setting rules and mechanisms. ► Develop household-based action on household land. This will not require collective action, but strong economic incentives are required. Under household-based action, motivation seems to be stronger, especially if the incentives mean tangible economic results in the not-so-distant future. ► Remove barriers related to land tenure insecurity; weakness of customary laws vis-à-vis formal laws; dysfunctional customary institutions; unclear government regulations; lack of funds, labor, and markets; insufficient technology; lack of cooperation and organization; unclear boundaries between villages; recurrent forest fires; difficulties in organizing people; lack of skilled facilitators to match the size of the community; lack of mechanisms to develop local participation; and lack of mechanisms to ensure ongoing support from external agents. 3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Forest Conservation Project of IGES endeavors to carry out the following research activities: ► Develop local guidelines for participation in forest management at the local level. Principal users of the local guidelines are the local people, but other important actors are also targeted, such as local governments, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local industries, and other stakeholders. ► Develop policy recommendations to ensure the effective application of international treaties on local participation in forest management at the national level. ► Develop national guidelines for participation in forest management, taking local guidelines as well as various experiences from other projects into consideration. Two approaches—local and international—will be combined and synthesized at national-level discussions, especially in the process of elaborating national guidelines. For more information, please contact the Forest Conservation Project, IGES (e-mail: nanang@iges.or.jp).

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Corporate Sustainability Management Voluntary corporate environmental protection activities are becoming important in Asia and the Pacific region. Environmental accounting and reporting is one of the most important tools for companies to use in order to conduct “sustainable management.” Environmental accounting is a tool to integrate economic and environmental protection activities, and environmental reporting is employed to disclose environmental information to the public at large. The Business and the Environment Project of IGES, started in June 2001, aims to study corporate voluntary activities for protecting the environment, and mainly focuses on corporate environmental accounting and reporting. 1. Challenges and opportunities In Asia and the Pacific, with the exception of Japan and Australia, environmental accounting and environmental reporting are not widely used. However, there are several existing international initiatives on environmental accounting and reporting, such as the Environmental Management Accounting Project of the UN Division for Sustainable Development (UNDSD) and the Global Reporting Initiative’s sustainability guidelines. The Environmental Management Accounting Network of the Asia-Pacific (EMAN-AP) was established in September 2001. Environmental accounting and environmental reporting are also taking place at the national level in some countries. In Japan, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) both released environmental reporting guidelines. The MOE also released environmental accounting guidelines and METI published a workbook on environmental management accounting. Korea’s Ministry of Environment issued environmental reporting guidelines in 2002, and is working on developing environmental accounting guidelines. Some other Asian countries, such as China, the Philippines and Thailand also have shown interest. Guidelines on environmental accounting as well as environmental reporting are mainly government-initiated and generally not mandatory. Nevertheless, indications that corporate practices are heavily influenced by these guidelines lead to the conclusion that voluntary-based governmental initiatives are useful for encouraging corporate environmental activities. Environmental accounting for external reporting is developing in Japan, where companies disclose a high degree of environmental accounting information in their environmental reports. In contrast, environmental accounting for internal management has not made as much progress.

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2. Areas for further action ► Formulate environmental accounting and reporting guidelines that can be adopted by Asian companies. ► Develop environmental management accounting tools with an emphasis on environmental investment appraisal, material flow cost accounting, and lifecycle costing. ► Encourage environment-friendly investment in Asian countries, given that “green investment” has the potential to move corporate management towards “sustainable” management. ► Strengthen networks in the Asian region regarding environmental accounting and reporting, making full use of the EMAN-AP. ► Countries with first-hand experience, such as Japan, should take the lead in promoting environmental accounting and reporting. Considering the time that would be needed to develop these management tools in each company, mechanisms for regional cooperation need to be developed in this area. 3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Business and Environment Project of IGES is endeavoring to carry out the following activities: ► Support networks, such as the EMAN-AP in order to introduce environmental accounting and reporting tools into the region. ► Research and develop environmental accounting methods, such as material flow cost accounting, which will be beneficial for Asian companies. ► Propose some ideal styles of environmental reporting for Asian companies through an analysis of current practices in Japan. For more information, please contact the Business and Environment Project, IGES (e-mail: kansai@iges.or.jp).

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Development of Environmental Industries In spite of governmental efforts to combat environmental degradation in the developing countries of Asia and the Pacific region through legislation and public administration, the state of the environment in this region has not seen much improvement, as shown by a number of environmental reports. Indeed, in many places it has worsened. A greater emphasis is needed on the development of environmental industries, ranging from environmental technologies and management systems to environment-related hardware production, in addition to regulatory approaches. These are needed in order to address the problems of deterioration in air, water, and soil quality; decreases in the quantity of water resources; waste generated by excess consumption and unsustainable lifestyles; loss of biodiversity; declining coastal resources; toxic chemical substances and waste; and global warming and ozone depletion. The key environmental technologies in this regard include end-of-pipe technologies, such as those for flue gas control; energy-efficient, zero-emission production processes and household appliances, essential to dealing with climate change and air pollution; technologies for the effective collection and decomposition of chlorofluorocarbons, in order to prevent further ozone depletion; wastewater treatment, to minimize water pollution in rivers, lakes, and oceans; soil treatment, to reduce soil pollution on farms, factory sites, and recreational parks; incinerator treatment, to eradicate chemical risks in urban communities and on factory sites; waste disposal and recycling, to keep urban communities clean, attractive, and pleasant; and technologies for producing environmentally friendly, man-made materials to slow the depletion of natural resources. 1. Challenges and opportunities In the process of formulating a framework for the further development of the environmental industry, there is a need to clearly identify areas where national governments should devote further efforts on their own, and those areas where the international community could assist in enhancing human resources and institutional capacity with the view to expanding and consolidating environmental industries. Given the importance of foreign-based multinational corporations (MNCs), bilateral donors, multilateral development and finance institutions (MDFIs), and international NGOs, particularly in the process of sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region, it is also crucial to clarify the respective areas of contribution by these external organizations, in addition to actors at the national level. As countries in Asia and the Pacific region differ in their stages of development of environmental technologies, environmental management know-how, and environmental hardware industry (for example, equipment-makers), efforts towards the promotion of environmental industry need to be tailored so as to reflect specific country needs. The development of the environmental industry will contribute to the technological

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diversification and economic growth of those developing countries in ways that are consistent with environmental protection and sustainability. 2. Areas for further action ► Explore specific governmental policy measures now in place in selected Asia and Pacific countries to foster and accelerate the development of key environmental industry sectors as a basis for future action. ► Identify the processes and the extent to which foreign-based MNCs, bilateral donors, MDFIs, and international environmental NGOs have contributed to the development of environmental industries. ► Identify which government policy measures, if any, have been most effective in re-orienting foreign-based MNCs to produce environmentally friendly products and services, and inducing those multinationals, bilateral donors, MDFIs, and international NGOs to transfer environmental technology and management know-how to local private and public sector corporations. ► Analyze some of the major issues facing those foreign-based organizations in assisting the development of environmental industries in Asia and Pacific countries. 3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Business Partnership for Sustainable Development through Environmental Industry Project of IGES endeavors to carry out the following activities in four developing Asian and Pacific countries (China, India, Indonesia and Korea): ► Review the current status and major issues facing environmental industry development. ► Analyze major government policy measures for promoting the development of environmental industries. ► Review the impacts, both positive and negative, of foreign multinational corporations on the development of environmental industries. ► Review the contributions, if any, of foreign bilateral and multilateral donors and organizations, including international NGOs, to the development of environmental industries. ► Provide practical recommendations to central and local governments and the domestic and foreign private sectors on possible policy and institutional measures that would be essential to the development of environmental industry for sustainable development, and on possible global actions including the re-orientation of global trade, technology transfer,

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foreign direct investment, and official development assistance regimes that will facilitate the development of environmental industries. For more information, please contact the Environmental Industry Project, IGES (e-mail: karasawa@iges.or.jp).

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Adopting Education for Sustainability The Asia-Pacific region is diverse and varied culturally, economically, and environmentally. According to many reports and studies, environmental problems here and around the world are the direct outcome of human interventions, and they have been further aggravated as a result of dynamic interactions. Science and technology alone cannot solve these problems without simultaneous changes in human awareness, attitudes, and behavior. Thus, a focus on changing people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices should be a part of any efforts to resolve environmental problems. The Environmental Education Project began by assessing the general status of environmental education in the region, and then suggested concrete actions to improve the condition of the environment. 1. Challenges and opportunities Research findings suggest that common characteristics of present education systems include centrally-controlled curricula, inadequate infrastructure, the “chalk-and-talk” method of pedagogy, and examination-oriented, stereotypical methods of schooling, etc. However, a high level of public awareness prevails on the protection of the environment, despite the fact that the region is characterized with great diversity in educational systems and philosophies. The overall status of environmental education across the Asia-Pacific region can be summarized as follows.

• There has been a progression towards “greener” curricula and educational programs. Composite courses, integrated courses, and specialized courses are found at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, respectively. A cross-curriculum approach has been adopted to integrate environmental concepts into the existing curricula.

• Environmental education is seen as a new perspective to total education and deals with the issue in a holistic way.

• Environmental concerns can now be found not only in courses on physical sciences but also in courses on social sciences and humanities.

• Innovative co-curricular activities, such as nature clubs, outdoor education, street theatre, eco-farming, and eco-business, to name a few, are commonly used to provide students with opportunities to obtain first-hand knowledge, experience, and skills in school as well as out of school.

Concrete efforts are underway at different levels of the educational system to integrate environmental concerns into the formal curricula as well as informal educational programs. Curricula are being revised and teachers trained to reflect a greater priority on the environment than in the past. At the same time, the region also brings together pioneering examples of indigenous knowledge, wisdom, and practices on environmental education.

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Case studies suggest that there is a need to promote in-house capacity, green consumerism, and symbiotic partnerships with others, channel more resources to NGOs and media, and set the agenda on environmental education. Despite having made considerable progress in recent years, environmental education is not free of issues and problems in this region. Major problems include (1) lack of supporting policy, (2) bias in curricula towards physical science, (3) lack of government-wide commitment, (4) inadequately trained personnel, (5) centrally-controlled curricula, and (6) unavailability of data and information. However, educators in the region have some common points of interest in promoting environmental education, including the developing effective educational processes, formulating national policy, training educators, improving curricula and pedagogy, and a consensus on the need to address the issue holistically. 2. Areas for further action With a view to address the common points of interest jointly at the regional level, the project formulated a document entitled the “Regional Strategy on Environmental Education in the Asia-Pacific Region.” The document is the outcome of a series of participatory exercises with stakeholders, together with an analysis of status reports from 36 countries and areas. The mission statement of the strategy is “to provide leadership in promoting, inspiring, and fostering citizens to work towards achieving a sustainable future.” The document has suggested a framework of five actions.5 ► Strengthen the capacity of stakeholders. ► Develop partnerships for collaborative work. ► Review curriculum and program development. ► Facilitate improved governance for environmental education. ► Mobilize external assistance for educational activities. 3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Environmental Education Project of IGES, in partnership with national and regional collaborators, is carrying out the following activities: ► Facilitating the implementation of the regional strategy in the respective countries and locations.

5 Regional Strategy on Environmental Education in the Asia-Pacific. Environmental Education Project, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), 2002.

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► Undertaking jointly with TERI in India a pilot testing of educational materials. ► Has initiated, jointly with the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia, a demonstration project in Lake Tonle Sap, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. ► Carrying out jointly with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) training on environmental education every year for members of NGOs from Indonesia. ► Supporting training on the preparation of educational material on the environment, organized by JICA, the Asia-Pacific Cultural Center, and the International Lake Environment Committee. For more information, please contact the Environmental Education Project, IGES (e-mail: ee@iges.or.jp).

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Capacity Development for Sustainability The Capacity Building Program is designed to make IGES policy-oriented research outputs and the knowledge of partner organizations easily accessible to mid-career decision-makers and their institutions, using a strategy of reaching leaders (change agents) who are able to connect global and indigenous knowledge to implement sustainable development by employing a blended training approach, i.e., integrating eLearning with face-to-face workshops and innovative instructions already successfully used in Asia and the Pacific region. 1. Challenges and opportunities Opportunities for capacity development in Asia and the Pacific region are three-fold. First, the region has a great degree of diversity in terms of cultural, economic, and environmental resources, providing different perspectives in managing, implementing, and training for sustainable development. Second, a great variety of indigenous knowledge for sustainable development still exists. Third, there are many capacity building organizations at different levels—local, sub-regional, and regional. However, some challenges can be observed when institutions and individuals attempt to implement joint actions for capacity development and better-informed decisions. Also, improvements are needed in the mechanisms for sharing indigenous knowledge on resource management and capacity development, in order to better respond to global changes in the natural and social environment. Further, the lack of cooperation and coordination among capacity building providers often results in duplication and overlapping projects. 2. Areas for further action Strengthening stakeholders’ capacities by connecting them with both indigenous and global knowledge and providing new perspectives for sustainable development, is critical. To respond to these challenges, information and communication technology (ICT) has been regarded as an effective tool for capacity development. Recently, ICT has been used to improve conventional teaching and learning methods by providing greater diversity of adult learning, especially in distance-learning programs. The use of ICT for capacity development enables leaders to reach their constituencies and target groups with specialized needs. Further, the use of new technologies, blended with face-to-face workshops and innovative instructions could connect global and indigenous knowledge. ICT can also consolidate existing knowledge with new information, as well as create opportunities for continuing education of the adult population. Therefore, the use of ICT has high potential to reorient capacity building towards sustainable development. However, it is necessary to identify and comply with a series of conditions and strategies and blend conventional methods to meet the specific

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requirements and context of each county. Further, networking among institutions and individuals needs to be encouraged in order to share and acquire regionally relevant knowledge and to address issues of regional and global importance without duplicating efforts. 3. Actions to be taken by IGES The Capacity Building Program of IGES endeavors to serve learners in their efforts to plan for and implement sustainable development by providing an increasing number of high quality eCourses (i.e., Internet based, on-line courses) and employing diverse teaching styles.6 The program offers a special combination of capacity development tools to narrow the “digital divide” (the gap between those who have access to information technologies and those who do not). ► Develop eCourses for learners that provide structured learning, based on clear learning objectives and embedded assessments, which makes the learning efficient, long-lasting, immediately applicable, and superior in terms of impact compared to simple information-transfer methods such as news, tutorials, etc. Well-designed eCourses give the learner the comfort of covering the most essential issues of the topics (unlike browsing through Web sites, even if they are well-structured) with ample resources to follow-up. ► Offer “courseware” for trainers. Most other like-minded organizations (i.e., those that seek capacity development for sustainable development) offer only eCourses in such a way that renders learners passive and receptive. In contrast, this program seeks to do more—to empower its learners not only with knowledge and strategic skills, but also with inspiration that leads to innovation, which are essential in sustainable development. One way of doing this is to offer opportunities to be both course participants and course developers. Authoring an eCourse requires a fresh look at the topic at hand, along with a practical approach that can bring out new ideas and models. Moreover, learning by doing (in this case, eCourse authoring) is the best method to deepen and consolidate knowledge, skills, and critical use of eLearning. ► Create a network of knowledge providers. As it is done in collaboration with Japanese and international partners, e.g., Kanagawa Prefecture, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations University (UNU), Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change/Technical Support Unit (IPCC/TSU), and IGES research projects, the collective experience of partners offers the program a niche of specialized knowledge, both local and global, with varied cultural and development backgrounds. The use of this knowledge as content (with appropriate instructional design and eTools) creates a high demand for IGES courses. ► Contribute to international initiatives, such as the Research on Innovation and Strategic Policy Options (RISPO) of the Asia-Pacific Environmental Innovation Strategy Project 6 See: http://www.iges.net.

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(APEIS), the Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED), and the Asia-Pacific Seminar on Climate Change, in their capacity building components. ► Assess the impact of eLearning on learners within different cultural and socio-economic contexts. For more information, please contact the Capacity Building Program, IGES, (e-mail: info@iges.net).