Third Advisory Committee Meeting

The Third Advisory Committee Meeting was held at AIT, Pathumthani, Thailand, 25 October 2000. The participants included senior representatives from ADB, AIT, UNEP and two independent regional advisors (Attachment 1).

Mr. Ken Piddington, Regional Advisor, gave the opening address and chaired the session.

Dr. Tim Foresman, Director, UNEP DEIA/EW, in his opening address provided the brief on the vision and new strategic direction of the Division and UNEP that included: partner with the best in Science including Nobel Laurates; utilize tools in the leading edge of technology; harness the collaborative assessment network; and provide the services to the region for assessment and early warning. He emphasized the approach will be based on educating, illuminating and innovating.

Mr. Robert Dobias, Senior Environment Officer, ADB, reaffirmed the Bank's support and collaboration with the Centre. He acknowledged the Centre's initiatives on promoting technology in environment assessment, and noted the progress of the Centre moving forward with the able guidance of the Coordinator.

Prof. Jean-Louis Armand, President, AIT, expressed appreciation of the Centre as its Programme is contributing to the mission of the Institute. He informed the Committee that AIT is undergoing a change and restructuring; and it would be necessary to renew the partnership with UNEP based on this shift.

Mr. Ragunathan Rajamani, Regional Advisor, emphasized the need to integrate social issues in the programme of work. It must be recognized that human action is a key element in the implementation of proposed environmental responses and technology would be an invaluable support.

1.Background
Mr. Surendra Shrestha, Regional Coordinator RRC-AP, gave a brief history of the Centre and how its scope has evolved from 1989 to 2000. Major emerging facts on Environmental Assessment were also reported to relate to the Vision and Components of the Centre.

The Committee commended the Centre Coordinator and Staff on their contribution on the gradual evolution of the service oriented Regional Resource Centre.

The Committee noted the change of the Centre's name from UNEP Environmental Assessment for Asia Pacific (UNEP EAP.AP) to UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia Pacific (UNEP RRC-AP).

2.Advisory Committee
Mr. Shrestha reported on the status of the specific guidelines made by the Advisory Committee on it 2nd Meeting in 1999.

The Committee noted with appreciation the progress of the Advisory Committee Decisions.

The Committee recalled its earlier decision to invite senior representatives from NORAD/Sida and a senior environmentalist from Central Asia/North East Asia region and agreed that this should be looked in conjunction with the preparation of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Committee.

The Committee noted with appreciation the paper on "Agenda 21 and Perspective for 2002 and Beyond for Asia-Pacific" prepared by Mr. R. Rajamani.

3.Regional Resource Centre (RRC)
Mr. Shrestha presented the three components of RRC: Capacity Building, Data Management, and Assessment and Reporting. The report includes the background, progress in 1999-2000, and proposal for 2001-2002 for each component.

The Committee noted with appreciation the progress report for the period 1999-2000.

The Committee approved the proposed programme for 2001-2002. The Committee made the following suggestions on the Programme of Work:

• enhance Staff structure to reflect the shifts and additions in programme of work; and
  
• partner with the media industry to disseminate repackaged outputs.

4.Additional
Mr. Shrestha informed the Committee that in addition to the core programme of the Centre, a number of tasks within and outside the region have been allocated to the Centre including: organization of the Balkans Task Force; assistance to establish the Regional Resource Centre in other developing UNEP regions; management of UNEP/GEF project for Indonesia Forest Fires; establishment of UNEP presence in Central Asia and development of Regional Environment Action Plan; assistance for completion of data/information activities in the North West Pacific (NOWPAP) for the Regional Seas Programme; and preparation for hosting the EANET Secretariat.

The committee noted with appreciation that the efforts of the Centre were being so recognized. It felt that there is a need to manage the administrative overheads necessitated by the additional tasks through appropriate arrangements within the Centre and by using the Collaborative Network

The Committee noted the additional work carried out by the Centre. The Committee advised the Centre to seek additional resources where possible when the new tasks are assigned.

The Committee noted that a Strategic Plan is being developed by DEIA/EW at the Headquarters Level. A Strategic Plan for the RRC-AP will be completed subsequently.

5.RRC-AP Finance
Mr. Shrestha detailed the financial status of the Centre including income, expenditure and reserve for 1999-2000. The estimated budget for the next biennium was also presented with recommended strategies.

The Committee noted the financial figures on income, expenditure, and reserve for 1999-2000 period.

The Committee noted with appreciation the growing partnership with the Asian Development Bank.

The Committee approved the provisional budget subject to realization of projected income for period 2001-2002. The Committee decided to instruct the Centre to carry out the following:

1. make quarterly reports to the Advisory Committee;
2. in collaboration with AIT and UNEP, establish a chart of accounts;
3. in consultation with AIT and UNEP, look into possibility of booking all transactions in US Dollars;
   
4. in consultation with AIT and UNEP, invest the reserve in a secure deposit;
   
5. in the detailed budget, include the services of auditor and lawyer; and f) seek advise of auditor to establish a professional mechanism to account for indirect/in kind contributions.

6.Centre and Staffing

Centre. Mr. Shrestha informed the Committee of the evolving partnership between AIT and the Centre; and the need to review the relationship to take account of the changes.

The Committee noted with appreciation the synergy between AIT and UNEP.

The President of AIT suggested involving the Centre in the planned site visits of AIT by NORAD or Sida. The Centre was also invited to take part in the current review of Internet Service at the Institute.

The Committee instructed the Centre to carry-out a study that includes:

a) a draft MoU with AIT for the Centre under the Institute's umbrella noting that the current document (P&P) is an internal AIT document only;
b) a draft MoU and explore the possibility of the Centre to operate within the Institute as a legal entity; and
c) a document that details all options for the Centre to operate in other locations in Thailand or elsewhere. The Committee expressed its appreciation to the President of AIT and requested the current arrangements be renewed for a 12-month period with the Centre at no cost to the Institute.

Staffing. Mr. Shrestha acknowledged with appreciation the contributions of the Staff in the evolution of the Centre.

The Committee was informed of the need to implement Staff categories to take account the changes in the personnel policy of AIT. The Committee noted the report on Staff turnover and instructed the Centre to issue Staff contracts in consultation with AIT to reflect the fiscal year calendar and staff categories early in 2001. The President of AIT stressed the need to satisfactorily resolve the Centre Staff issue before the next AIT Board Meeting in January 2001.

The Committee decided to hold its next meeting during the week beginning 19th November 2001 at AIT.

D. List of Participants

ADB Mr. Robert Dobias Senior Environment Officer Environment Division Asian Development Bank (ADB) 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong  Metro Manila 0401 Philippines Tel: (63-2) 632-6783 Fax: (63-2) 632-2195, 636-2444 Email: rdobias@mail.asiandevbank.org
AIT Prof. Jean-Louis Armand President Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) P.O. Box 4, Klongluang, Pathumthani 12120 Thailand Tel: (66-2) 524-6001  Fax: (66-2) 524-6004 Email: president@ait.ac.th
Regional Advisor Mr. Ken Piddington 1 Harold Street Highbury Wellington 6005 New Zealand Tel: (64-4) 970 3453 Fax: (64-4) 970 4090 Email: kenpid@compuserve.com
Regional Advisor Mr.Raghunathan Rajamani 8-2-585/A/1, Road No. 9 Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500034, India Tel: (91-40) 335 8320 Fax:  (91-40)-335 5480 Email: rraja@universe.uohyd.ernet.in
UNEP Dr. Timothy W.  Foresman Director Division of Environmental Information, Assessment & Early Warning (DEIA&EW),  UNEP P.O. Box 30552,  Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254-2) Fax: (254-2)  Email: tim.foresman@unep.org
UNEP Mr. Nirmal Andrews Regional Representative Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) UNEP 10th Floor, United Nations Building, Rajdamnern Avenue Bangkok 10200, Thailand  Tel: (66-2) 280-3828 Fax: (66-2) 280-3829 Email: andrewsn@un.org
UNEP EAP.AP Mr. Surendra SHRESTHA  Regional Coordinator UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia-Pacific (UNEP RRC-AP) Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) P.O. Box # 4, Klong Luang Pathumthani - 12120, Thailand Tel: (66-2) 524 – 5365 Fax: (66-2) 516-2125, 524 - 6233 Email: surendra@ait.ac.th