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- The Early Years (1993-1997)
The East Asian region, as a result of rapid industrialization, faces increasing
risks of problems related to excess atmospheric deposition of acidic substances.
The World Bank estimated in 1995 that by 2020, if present energy and environment
policies remain unchanged, sulfur dioxide emissions in the region will
almost triple the 1990 level. Thus, adverse impacts of acid deposition
in East Asia will become a critical problem in the near future.
In the light of the above, Japan coordinated four expert meetings between
1993 and 1997 to discuss the state of acid deposition in the region, effects
on ecosystems and future steps toward regional cooperation in this issue.
At these meetings, participants shared the view that a comprehensive approach
was most appropriate for assessing the impacts because of the multiple
factors involved, including deposition acidity, chemical components and
soil sensitivity. The experts recommended that acid deposition should be
improved and strengthened to cover chemical components in addition to the
measurement of pH. The expert meetings also agreed on the necessity for
establishing a regional monitoring network with standardized monitoring
methods and analytical techniques.
- Preparatory Phase Activities (1998-2000)
The First Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG1) of the Acid Deposition
Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) held in March 1998 in Yokohama,
Japan discussed the fundamental characteristics of the proposed network
such as objectives, activities, schedule for establishment, institutional
and financial matters. It developed the Tentative Design of EANET and decided
to start the preparatory phase activities of EANET on an interim basis
from April 1998 to provide useful inputs to the Second Session of the Intergovernmental
Meeting (IG2) of EANET for the formal establishment of the network. Ten
countries participated in the preparatory phase activities: China, Indonesia,
Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Thailand
and Viet Nam. The Environmental Agency of Japan functioned as the interim
secretariat for the Network, the Acid Deposition and Oxidant Research Centre
of Japan was designated as the interim network center, and an interim scientific
advisory group was established to advice on the scientific aspects of the
preparatory phase activities.
Objectives of the Preparatory Phase Activities:
- to examine the feasibility of the designed Network activities and relevant
guidelines and technical manuals
- to provide time for participating countries to further develop national
monitoring systems for the Network
- to formulate policy recommendations for the further development of the
Network
During this period, the technical manuals and guidelines for monitoring
of wet deposition, soil and vegetation and inland aquatic environment were
developed and adopted at the Second Interim Scientific Advisory Group Meeting
of EANET in March 2000.
The IG2 held in October 2000 in Niigata, Japan concluded that the preparatory
activities of EANET had been successful and decided to start EANET activities
on a regular basis from January 2001 based on the Joint Announcement on the Implementation of EANET and the Tentative Design of EANET.
IG2 designated the United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Resource
Center for Asia and the Pacific (UNEP RRC.AP) (the former Environment Assessment
Programme for Asia and the Pacific (EAP.AP)) in Bangkok, Thailand as the
Secretariat for EANET and the Acid Deposition and Oxidant Research Center
(ADORC) in Niigata, Japan as the Network Center for EANET.
- Regular Phase Activities (2001- )
Under the Regular Phase Activities, the ten countries agreed to establish
an institutional framework comprising of the Intergovernmental Meeting,
the Scientific Advisory Committee, the Secretariat and Network Center to
support the network and promote its activities in close communication,
coordination and collaboration with the participating countries. The Third
Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG3) of EANET held in November
2001 in Chiang Mai, Thailand adopted the Rules of Procedure for EANET.
Objectives of EANET
- To create a common understanding of the state of acid deposition problems
in East Asia;
- To provide useful inputs for decision-making at local, national and regional
levels aimed at preventing or reducing adverse impacts on the environment
caused by acid deposition; and
- To contribute to cooperation on the issues related to acid deposition among
the participating countries
Since then, meetings of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG) and Scientific
Advisory Committee (SAC) have been held annually. Three subsidiary bodies
were renewably established under the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC),
namely, the Task Force on Dry Deposition Monitoring, Task Force on Soil
and Vegetation Monitoring and the Network of Soil and Vegetation Specialists.
It was also decided that the senior technical managers (National QA/QC
Managers) from the participating countries should meet to discuss important
technical issues related to the Network and exchange information on their
monitoring activities from 2001.
The Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG5) held in November
2003 in Pattaya, Thailand decided to establish a Working Group on Future
Development of EANET (WGFD) to review the performance of the Secretariat
and Network Center and develop guidelines on the administrative and financial
management of the Secretariat and Network Center. The WGFD may meet once
or twice during a year, depending on its tasks. In later years the functions
of this Working Group was expanded to develop a five-year medium term plan
for EANET. The IG5 also decided that participating countries should make
effort, on a voluntary basis, to make financial contributions to the budget
of the Secretariat.
By 2005, the number of countries in East Asia participating in EANET activities
had increased to 13. Cambodia and Lao PDR joined in 2001 and 2002 respectively
and Myanmar joined in 2005. The member countries are: Cambodia, China,
Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic
of Korea, Russia, Thailand and Viet Nam.
A High Level Segment was held with the Seventh Session of the Intergovernmental
Meeting (IG7) in November 2005 in Niigata, Japan at which the Report for Policy Makers: Goals, Achievements and Way Forward was launched. The IG7 also adopted Decision 1/IG7 (Niigata Decision) which
decided that the participating countries of EANET should begin a process
to discuss an appropriate instrument and legal status to provide a sound
basis for financial contribution to EANET and will report the results of
the discussion to the Tenth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG10)
for its consideration. IG requested the WGFD to discuss on the establishment
of an appropriate instrument to provide a sound basis for financial contribution
to EANET.
The five-year medium term plan, renamed Strategy on EANET Development (2006-2010), was adopted during the Eighth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting
(IG8) held in November 2006 in Hanoi, Viet Nam.
Categories of activities of the Strategy on EANET Development (2006-2010) are:
- Promotion of acid deposition monitoring
- To provide useful inputs for decision-making at local, national and regional
levels aimed at preventing or reducing adverse impacts on the environment
caused by acid deposition; and
- To contribute to cooperation on the issues related to acid deposition among
the participating countries
The Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia was produced by the Scientific Advisory Committee of EANET in late 2007.
The Periodic Report consisted of 3 volumes: Executive Summary, Part I:
Regional Assessment, Part II: National Assessments.
At the Ninth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG9) several new
subsidiary bodies were established under the Scientific Advisory Committee
of EANET:
- Task Force on Monitoring Instrumentation
- Task Force on Research Coordination
- Expert Group on Dry Deposition Flux Estimation under the Task Force on
Dry Deposition Monitoring
- Expert Group on Revision of Technical Manual on Wet Deposition Monitoring
- Expert Group on Revision of Technical Manual on Inland Aquatic Environment
Monitoring
- Expert Group on Preparation of the Second Periodic Report on the State
of Acid Deposition in East Asia
The IG9 also decided that participating countries could, on a voluntary
basis, make financial contributions to the core budget of the Network Center
as from 2008.
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