The 11th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM) was held in Beijing during June 13 - 14. Chinese Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian, Japanese Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito and Korea Environment Minister Lee Maanee on behalf of the environment ministries of the three countries attended the meeting. They exchanged their views on issues of common concern including how to protect the environment well under the context of international financial crisis.
At the meeting, Chinese Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian made a keynote speech titled "China's Environmental Protection under the International Financial Crisis: Opportunities and Challenges---Promoting the Development of Green Economy, Creating a Green Future for Northeast Asia". He said, to effectively address the international financial crisis, the Chinese Government put forward the policy of "Maintain growth, expand domestic demand and adjust industrial structure", took a series of policy measures, strived for turning the financial crisis into an important opportunity for economic restructuring and strengthening environmental protection. The Chinese authority has developed environmental policies targeting on the whole process—from production, circulation, distribution, consumption and reproduction, addressed the difficulties constraining the development of environmental protection cause in terms of institutions and system with evident achievements. In 2008, both COD discharge and SO₂ emission across China went down. COD discharge dropped by 4.42% and SO₂ emission by 5.95% compared with that of last year. The average COD concentration of 746 surface water monitoring section under national monitoring program went down by 12.3% compared with that of 2008. The average SO₂ concentration of urban air in 113 key cities on environmental protection reduced by 7.7%, the percent of days with good air ambient environment raised by 13 percentage points. At present, the international financial crisis is still spreading. As a developing country with increasingly close relations with global economy, China cannot stay aloof from the crisis and keep its prosperity. We are willing to work with other countries to enhance our cooperation in an all round way, and facilitate healthy development of environmental protection during the financial crisis. We have taken the following measures: 1) actively take part in macro regulations to facilitate industrial restructuring; 2) deepen the control of industrial pollution and strengthen prevention and control of rural non-point pollution; 3) improve environment economic policies and fully play the role of market mechanism; 4) develop environmental protection industry and cultivate new growth engine.
Japanese and Korea environment ministers in their keynote speech introduced their attempts on how to do well environmental protection work in the context of international financial crisis. Japan has released the program of "green economy and social reform" and taken the promotion of environment & energy industries as an important approach of to "green governance" that drives economic growth, expand domestic job market and reduce environmental impacts. Korea has put forward the "Strategy on low-carbon green growth". With the implementation of "green project", Korea has made more efforts in the construction of infrastructure, promotion of the development of low carbon technology and active development of green work & living environment.
At the meeting, the environment ministers of the three countries signed the Joint Statement of the 11th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting and reiterated their determination in achieving the common vision of equity and development of the region. They have reviewed & approved the draft Joint Statement of the Second Tripartite Summit that is going to be submitted to the Second Tripartite Summit held in China later this year for approval, which involves the hot environmental issues of common concern by the three countries.
At the news release after the meeting, Minister Zhou said, in the spirit of practice, consultation and cooperation, the environment ministries of the three countries have actively expanded cooperation projects covering such areas as environmental education, study on sand storms, ecological conservation in northwest China, environmental industry and circular economy with active achievements since the establishment of the tripartite environment ministers meeting. During this meeting, the environment ministries of the three countries have reviewed the specific implementation of relevant environmental cooperation projects, discussed the priority cooperation areas for the next 5 years and identified the following priority areas for future environment cooperation: raising environmental awareness, promotion of public participation in environmental protection, cooperation in environmental protection industries, certification of low-carbon products, study on synergy effect, circular economy/3R/green growth, green city & ecological conservation, cooperation on the management of transboundary movement of chemicals and hazardous wastes, prevention and control of air & water pollution at regional level.
TEMM aims at carrying out the consensus of the Tripartite Summit Meeting, studying & addressing regional environmental problems, and facilitating sustainable development of the region. TEMM is held once a year in the three countries in turn. China used to hold the second TEMM in 2000, fifth TEMM in 2003 and eighth TEMM in 2006. As one of the major regional high-level dialogue and cooperation mechanisms on environment in northeast Asia, TEMM has generated active outcomes and significant influence since its establishment. In the spirit of practice, consultation and cooperation, the environment ministry of the three countries have strived for the expansion of cooperation projects and made active achievements in such areas as environmental education, ecological conservation in northwest China, environmental protection industry, prevention of sand storms, and environment & trade.