This report presents information on the state of the regional environment. It shows us that significant actions have been taken in confronting environmental challenges at the local, national, and regional level. By reporting on the state of the environment through this report, UNEP is providing the region with an essential tool to speed up the pace of our environmental action, to set priorities, to provide an early warning system, and to support informed decision-making at all levels of society.  

Since the Rio Conference in 1992, UNEP has broadened its scientific focus to better address the information requirements of international environmental policy setting and to help bridge the gap between scientific understanding and societal action. This report places high priority on reflecting national and sub-regional perceptions and realities, while at the same time reporting on the status of the regional environment.  

The report is designed to build consensus on critical environmental issues, setting priorities among the plethora of environmental concerns, and identifying issues that the international community needs to address. The report also addresses regional policy responses and directions. In a single volume, and with a time of slightly more than one year, not every environmental issue in the region can be covered in great detail. Thus the aim of the report is to give the reader-whether a policy maker, a corporate leader, a student, an activist, or an interested citizen-a 'feel' for the priority environmental concerns in the Asia-Pacific region.  

UNEP hopes that Asia-Pacific Environment Outlook will give a new impetus to international action on the protection and conservation of the environment, while at the same time promoting and caring for the development aspirations of nations in the region. We hope that this assessment process initiated as an input to the Global Environment Outlook series will find the necessary policy and scientific support to be continued in the future, provide an effective means to link sectoral and regional assessments, and provide an overarching framework for ongoing international assessment activities.  

In looking to future reports, UNEP welcomes your comments and suggestions whether they relate to substance or style. Our goal is that by the turn of the century a truly global participatory assessment process may be operational to effectively keep under review the state of the world's environment, as well as to guide international environmental policy setting.  

 

United Nations Environment Programme