Date: 16-17 January 2004
Place:Manila, Philippines
Organizers:
Department of Transportation and Communications, Government of the Philippines
Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan
United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)
Outcome Document
Objectives:
The objectives of the meeting were:
to overview the regional situation on transport and environment and discuss the need for strategic planning for environmentally sustainable transport with both long-term vision and short-term/long-term actions:
to discuss specific priority topics in Asia, including roadside air quality monitoring and assessment, emission control for in-use vehicles with special attention to inspection and maintenance, cleaner fuel for vehicles, and environmentally-friendly public transport planning; and
to develop recommendations towards establishment of environmentally sustainable transport in Asia in the form of a policy statement.
It should be noted that while the meeting emphasized the immediate need for actions on ambient air quality monitoring and assessment, reduction of vehicular emissions particularly from in-use vehicles, fuel quality improvement, the outcome of the meeting made a significant contribution to promoting all essential components of environmentally sustainable transport by stressing the need for a comprehensive strategy with long-term perspective. Such components included: policy initiatives, new education and capacity-building and public awareness.
Participants
List of Participants
National Government
Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, PR China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Viet Nam
International Organizations
Asian Development Bank (ADB), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), JBIC, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations University/Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU/IAS), World Bank, WHO, and UNCRD
Meeting Summary
1. Opening Ceremony
Welcome addresses were made by the Honorable Leandro R. Mendoza, Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Philippines, Mr. Tetsushige Nishio, Director-General, Environmental Management Bureau, Ministry of Environment, Japan, and Mr. Kazunobu Onogawa, Director of UNCRD. Mr. Roberto T. Lastimoso, Assistant Secretary, DOTC also made welcoming remarks.
2. Discussion Sessions on Specific Topics
The conference discussed specific issues of concern among participated countries such as (1) Strategic planning for Asian EST with both long-term vision and short-term actions, (2) Roadside air quality monitoring and assessment, (3) Emission control for In-use vehicles with special attention to inspection and maintenance, (4) Cleaner fuel for vehicles, and (5) Environmentally friendly public transport planning. In addition, under Session 1, the ASEAN Working Group on Environmentally Sustainable Cities made a short presentation on their Framework for Environmentally Sustainable Cities in ASEAN.
Link: Issue Papers and Presentations during Discussion Sessions
3. Adoption of the Manila Statement at the Closing Ceremony
Following the informal drafting meeting held on the 16th, as a final outcome of the Policy Dialogue, participants adopted the "Manila Statement - Toward the realization of environmentally sustainable transport in Asia", as part of the Closing Ceremony for the conference. The Statement was adopted with only minor modifications made to the draft. The Honorable Elisea G. GOZUN, Secretary, Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR), Philippines participated in the adoption of the Manila Statement.