Overview
of the United Nations University Project on Environmental Monitoring
and Analysis
Keiichiro
Fuwa
The United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan
The project: 'Environmental Monitoring and Analysis in the East Asian
Region' has been led by UNU, with a sponsorship from Shimadzu Corporation,
since 1996 as a three-year programme. The project is designed to evaluate
the relationship of sustainable development with the natural and human
environments. In this context, it answers the need for the collection
and dissemination of information related to environmental quality
in the East Asian region. This project has resulted in generating
reliable environmental data in the East Asian region as well as building
capacity in the participant laboratories. Another extremely useful
aspect of this project has been the development of a network of environmental
researchers within the East Asian region and globally. This has led
to development of consistent approaches for pollution monitoring in
the region. It is anticipated that this information will become a
key element of regional and national environmental governance and
strategic policies.
The objectives
of the project have been:
- To undertake
monitoring and analysis of land-based sources of pollution in
the East Asian region.
- Capacity
building through "training the trainers."
- To promote
intercalibration of analytical methodologies and quality assurance/quality
control (QA/QC) practices.
- To promote
access to information, sustained exchange of information, and
effective dissemination of results.
- To interpret
data for policy development, providing impetus to scientifically-based
decision making by key stakeholders.
Appropriate laboratories
have been selected from China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea,
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. National Project Coordinators
(NPCs) have been nominated from each laboratory and they have served
as trainer for three years. Pesticides in rice and PCBs in soil for
the first year (1996), TBT and TPhT in seawater and fish and VOCs
in drinking water for the second year (1997), and VOCs and aldehydes
in air were chosen as the pollution materials for analysis and monitoring.
Within the project, the NPCs are also responsible for organizing and
implementing activities at the national level. These NPCs interact
with the local governments in project implementation and report the
project results to UNU.
As part of
the research and capacity building aspects of the project, participating
laboratories were: (a) provided expert training in the generation
of reference materials to be used under the project, (b) provided
expert training in analysis, (c) provided with sample collection
and analysis manuals, (e) given support to produce reliable analytical
data through external quality assurance programme; and (e) equipped
with state-of-the-art analytical equipment.
Networking
and information dissemination aspects remain at the very heart of
the project. For these purposes, UNU has worked on exchange of information
and has supported sustained dissemination through an informal network
for researchers and scholars. In addition to annually publishing
symposium proceedings and direct dissemination to interested agencies
and institutions, UNU has developed and maintained LANDBASE. UNU
has encouraged the interpretation of the data generated within this
project by scientists, scholars, and policy makers.
Research was
also performed on environmental compliance and governance issues
pertinent to the East Asian countries. UNU, in partnership with
the selected laboratories, has been working to interpret the data
that has been generated. The purpose is to provide feedback for
improvement in policies and management strategies at both local
and national levels. In this context, UNU is collaborating with
a group of international experts to generate concrete suggestions
regarding strengthening of laws, governance systems and management
policies. This will assist in meeting the provisions of relevant
international environmental accords.
On the whole
the many achievements of the project can be summarized as:
- Intensive
Training Of Over 40 Scientists: In the capacity building process,
participating laboratories in all countries have experienced development
of human resources through their involvement in the international
training programme, in addition to an upgrading of facilities.
- Multidisciplinary
Researcher Network Development: Through participation in symposia
and workshops, UNU has developed an informal network of around
100 international and multidisciplinary scientists.
- Creation
Of A Major Database: The project database, named LANDBASE, has
been developed and is publicly accessible through the internet
(http://www.geic.or.jp/landbase/data/).
This database will be enhanced by Geographical Information Systems
(GIS) approach upon completion.
- Development
of a UNU Project Manual for analytical methodologies: Each year
UNU has developed a Project Manual containing sets of analytical
methodologies that are appropriate to the participating (developing)
country needs and are based on international standard methods.
- Production
of Training Media: Two sets of training videos, which take the
scientists step-by-step through analytical processes and methods,
have been produced. Additionally, a CD-ROM containing all the
data and training videos of the project was produced after the
training was completed in February 1998.
- Information
Dissemination through Symposia and Workshops: Three major international
symposia have been held in 1996, 1997, and 1998 in Tokyo, Singapore,
and Kyoto, respectively. Participation of internationally-renowned
scientists and scholars has been the highlight of these meetings.
These symposia have been followed by training workshops for participants.
- Publication
Of Symposia Paper Abstracts: Each year, symposia paper abstracts
and planning workshop papers have been published, both in hard
copy form and over the internet.
- Publication
Of Policy Research Papers On Environmental Governance: The data
collected under the project have been used in the development
of papers related to environmental governance issues. China, Japan,
Malaysia, Thailand, and Republic of Korea have participated in
this programme.
Based on the success
of this project, UNU is looking towards a continued future collaboration
with the partner laboratories. UNU is proposing a three-year monitoring
and analysis program that will be developed in partnership with other
organizations. The project will focus on coastal hydrosphere monitoring
(both seawater and freshwater) and on establishing guidelines for
development of consistent coastal management programmes in East Asia.
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