APEC officials to make environment a priority<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Fast-growing economies in the Asia Pacific
\nregion aim to make the environment a priority at a leaders'
\nsummit in November, officials said here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Officials from the 18-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
\n(APEC) forum would draft a declaration that gives priority to
\nensuring development that does not harm the environment, APEC
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
The draft ministerial declaration would be forwarded to
\nleaders at the APEC summit to be held in the northern port of
\nSubic, said officials at the start of a four-day officials'
\nmeeting on sustainable development here.<\/p>\n
\"Sustainable cities are a very important primary concern of
\nAPEC economies, \" said Philippine environment undersecretary
\nDelfin Ganapin, who chaired the meeting.<\/p>\n
He said the concern was fueled by rapid growth and expansion
\namong APEC member economies.<\/p>\n
Ganapin told delegates that in Manila there were emerging
\nproblems in urban development, referring to worsening traffic,
\nincreasing pollution and the growth of squatter areas.<\/p>\n
These problems were \"consequences of our successes in economic
\nand industrial development as well as rapid population growth
\ncommon not only to the Philippines but to many of the economies
\nof APEC,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The declaration \"will assure that (sustainable development)
\nwill be a major consideration in the upcoming leader's meeting,\"
\nhe said, adding that an APEC leader would bring the issue up at
\nthe summit, Ganapin said.<\/p>\n
While APEC was still devoted to opening up regional trade, the
\nofficials also wanted to ensure that freer trade would be
\n\"supportive and protective of the environment.\"<\/p>\n
Among measures suggested to promote sustainable cities were
\nincreasing partnerships between the private and public sectors,
\nincluding non-government organizations.<\/p>\n
Ways of financing and encouraging protection of the
\nenvironment such as tax incentives to property developers
\nallocating green spaces in urban parks, or pollution charges for
\nwaste discharge were also considered.<\/p>\n
Ganapin conceded such measures may lift costs for poorer
\ncountries which might reduce their attractiveness to foreign
\ninvestors, but said officials hoped to reach consensus on how to
\nimplement these measures immediately.<\/p>\n
The officials' meeting here aims to promote and identify areas
\nof cooperation in urban management, clean technology and
\nsustainability of marine environment and to draft an action plan
\non sustainable development.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-officials-to-make-environment-a-priority-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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