On November 23 and 24, the 21st Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM) [1] was held in Kitakyushu, Japan, during which environment ministers of China, Japan and South Korea exchanged the latest developments in environmental policies of each country following TEMM20 and set new priorities for the next Tripartite Joint Action Plan (TJAP 2020-2024).
Linked by both geographical proximity and historic ties, China, Japan and South Korea have been cooperating in a wide array of areas for decades, with a particular focus placed on environmental issues. The TEMM, first proposed in 1999, has become an important platform for the three countries to carry out dialogue on environment policies and promote sustainable development in the Northeast Asia.
At this year’s TEMM, the ministers delivered keynote speeches, elaborating on the progress made by the three countries in environmental management and protection over the course of recent years. They also reviewed the progress in the implementation of the TJAP 2015-2019, especially endeavors devoted to coping with nine priority areas, and signed a Joint Communiqué [2] for the meeting.
Having confirmed with satisfaction the achievements made under the TJAP 2015-2019, the ministers identified the new TEMM priority cooperation areas for the period from 2020 to 2024 as following:
Air Quality Improvement
3R/Circular Economy/Zero Waste City
Marine and Water Environment Management
Climate Change
Biodiversity
Chemical Management and Environmental Emergency Response
Transition to Green Economy
Environmental Education, Public Awareness and Engagement
Notably, marine plastic waste is a key concern among them. In line with the principle of promoting interlinkages among the priority areas, the work in tackling plastics in the sea will be advanced in connection with the other areas, such as 3R/Circular Economy/Zero Waste City, as appropriate.
(Image source: MEE website)
