The Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Management (WGEM) was held in Singapore from 22 to 23 April 1996. The meeting was attended by delegates from ASEAN member countries.
2. The WGEM is one of the six Working Groups formed under the auspices of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN). Singapore assumed the chairmanship of the WGEM in 1994.
3. The scope of the WGEM covers the following :
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Establishment of common principles on environmental management for ASEAN member countries
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Identification of areas in environmental management for cooperation amongst ASEAN member countries
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Preparation of project proposals relating to environmental management.
4. At the Meeting, the WGEM reviewed its on-going programmes and formulated a proposed ASEAN Framework for achieving ASEAN long-term environmental goals for ambient air and river water qualities. These goals were endorsed by the ASEAN Environment Ministers at the 6th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment held in April 1994. The long-term goals are at the Annex.
5. The objective of the proposed ASEAN Framework is to outline the directions and strategies ASEAN countries may take towards the realisation of these long-term goals. These include identification of the sources of air and water pollution, principles and strategies for pollution control, and formulation of action programmes to control and prevent pollution.
6. The proposed ASEAN Framework will be presented to ASOEN for endorsement at its next meeting.
