Regional EST Forum in Asia

About Regional EST Forum in Asia

Regional EST Forum was established in 2005 with the view to:

1. Facilitate high-level policy dialogues on environment and transport issues on a regular basis;
2. Provide a strategic and knowledge platform for sharing experiences & disseminating among Asian countries best practices, tools, technologies, policy instruments, in response to various issues concerning EST;
3. Provide a platform for discussion on specific issues of concern through expert group meetings, policy consultations;
4. Provide a platform for interagency coordination both at national and international level to efficiently address the environment and transport issues.

The Regional EST Forum provides a strategic platform between the governments and the selected experts who meet periodically to discuss various EST related issues and share best practices/experiences. The experts of the Forum provide strategic guidance to the participating countries in the relevant EST areas, including the formulation of national EST strategies.

Member of the Regional EST Forum in Asia

The Forum is composed of high-level government representatives (mainly from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry o Railways, and Ministry of Health etc.) and a number of leading practitioners and other stakeholders, including a Subsidiary Expert Group that provides technical input on various thematic areas.

Starting with ASEAN+4 (China, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Mongolia), the Regional EST Forum in Asia gradually expanded to cover 25 countries, including South Asia, the Russian Federation, Timor-Leste, and the Islamic Republic of Iran (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, PR China, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam). Time to time, with the support of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), Central Asian Republics additionally take part in the EST Forums.

History of the Regional EST Forum

Regional EST Forum in Asia

16th Forum (The Philippines, 2024)
15th Forum (Malaysia, 2023)
14th Forum (Japan, 2021)
13th Forum (webinar, 2020)
12th Forum (Viet Nam, 2019)
11th Forum (Mongolia, 2018)
10th Forum (Lao PDR, 2017)
9th Forum (Nepal, 2015)
8th Forum (Sri Lanka, 2014)
7th Forum (Indonesia, 2013)
6th Forum (India, 2011)
5th Forum (Thailand, 2010)
4th Forum (Korea, 2009)
3rd Forum (Singapore, 2008)
2nd Forum (Indonesia, 2006)
1st Forum (Japan, 2005)

Manila Policy Dialogue on Environment and Transportation in the Asian Region (Philippines, 2004)

Photo: Seventh Regional EST Forum in Asia (Bali, 2013)
 

Regional EST Forum in Latin America

1st Forum (Columbia, 2011)

Being inspired by the Regional EST Forum in Asia, a similar Regional EST Forum in Latin America was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN ECLAC), the Inter American Development Bank (IDB), SloCat, among others.

Regional EST Forum in Latin America (10 countries as of 2011)

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Plurinational State of Bolivia
• Chile
• Columbia
• Ecuador
• Mexico
• Paraguay
• Uruguay
• Venezuela
• Note: The delegation of the Rep�blica Bolivariana of Venezuela requested the opportunity of consulting its Government to be able to endorse Bogota Declaration.