GEO-6 Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific


for example fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as disincentives for less resource-efficient production systems; and could minimize market risk, for example new kinds of taxes for non-compliance and restrictions on the abstraction and transport of particular raw materials. Further, the concept of a green economy could also encompass environmental and social considerations such as those related to sustainable consumption and production or corporate social responsibility.


Extreme events and disasters are on the rise across the region, and climate change is making all these extreme events the new normal. Alarmed by the increasing frequency and intensity of damaging natural disasters, policy-makers in the region have been formulating a high level of policy responses. Among them, the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015 (HFA) aimed to establish more systematic action to identify disaster risks and build national and local resilience so as to decrease vulnerability.


The number of countries reporting on implementation increased during the term of the HFA to reach 36 in 2013. The growing interest and efforts of governments in the region to address vulnerability to natural hazards and extreme weather have resulted in significant progress with disaster risk reduction through the establishment of national and regional plans. Starting in 2015, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (UNISDR 2015) and the SDGs will be a new driving force to implement disaster risk reduction measures. Disaster risk has also been receiving significant attention at UNFCCC processes. Building on previous COP decisions, adaptation and loss/damage are two crucial areas covered by the COP 21 Paris Agreement, aimed at strengthening the ability of countries to respectively deal with and recover from the adverse effects of climate change.


3.1.5 Transformative agenda for post-2015


Globalization, revolutions in information technology and mobility, and improved regional-level cooperation have enabled the cross-fertilization of ideas and approaches and their transfer from one territory to another. The region has


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benefited significantly from such improved connectivity to raise environmental awareness and take collective action. The region has seen major improvements in the formulation of environmental policies and plans, with most countries having dedicated ministries or departments to deal with environmental issues such as monitoring and conducting environmental impact assessments of development plans, and to establish regulations to prevent unwanted environmental problems. However, some countries, especially those in transition, have experienced a large gap between greater environmental awareness and efforts to address existing and new kinds of environmental problems.


Coordination and efficient mobilization of resources need to be given high priority post-2015, for which a reassessment of environmental goals and targets will be necessary, together with a forward-looking perspective based on integrated approaches that can become a basis for planning and implementation. Such an integrated mechanism should use, as far as possible, new concepts such as the green economy, ecosystem-based approaches, synergies between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation such as mitigating floods through groundwater recharge, low-carbon policies and enhanced regional cooperation on common environmental issues such as transboundary pollution of air and water, marine resource protection, biosafety regulations on the product development and trading of genetically modified (GM) crops and animals, resource efficiency across the supply chain, and the 3Rs.


A range of MEAs, sub-regional and national agreements and policies also address specific thematic issues on natural resources, for example the CBD and its Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020, including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the 1986 Noumea Convention, the 2007 ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Sustainability, the Asia Pacific Water Forum, UNCCD, the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, and UNFCCC. Countries party to these agreements generally have separate national policies and implementation mechanisms for the management of natural resources. Individual country abilities to mainstream their existing natural resource management


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