The North-East Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC) commemorated its 30th anniversary today. Established in 1993, NEASPEC has been a vital force in promoting environmental cooperation and sustainable development in North-East Asia.
The commemorative event in Seoul, Republic of Korea, brought together government officials, representatives from partner organizations, environmental experts, NGOs, intergovernmental organizations including the United Nations, and stakeholders from member countries to reflect on three decades of achievements and discuss the future of environmental cooperation in the subregion.
“We are delighted to commemorate this significant milestone in the history of NEASPEC,” said Ganbold Baasanjav, Head of the ESCAP Subregional Office for East and North-East Asia . “Over the past three decades, NEASPEC has emerged as a beacon of regional collaboration, fostering environmental sustainability and promoting shared responsibility. With renewed dedication, we can achieve even greater milestones, further solidifying our role in shaping a brighter, greener future for our region and beyond.”
NEASPEC, a unique intergovernmental platform comprising China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation, has played a pivotal role in addressing common environmental challenges. Over the past 30 years, NEASPEC has gradually evolved by developing programmatic work covering air pollution, biodiversity and nature conservation, marine protected areas, low carbon cities, and desertification and land degradation, expanding partnerships from governments to civil society organizations, and strengthening the interlinkages between global, subregional, regional, national and local agendas.
The commemorative event featured congratulatory remarks from member governments and roundtable discussions focusing on the accomplishments of NEASPEC and the way forward. This engagement provided a valuable opportunity for reflections not only on past achievements but also on the evolving dynamics faced by NEASPEC, shaping its future direction and continued commitment to environmental cooperation in the region.
