Korea, China and Japan have agreed for the first time to make a joint effort to resolve issues surrounding the fine dust or fine particulate matter known as PM2.5. Representing the host nation, Minister of the Environment Yoon Seong Kyu attended the 16th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM) on April 28 and 29 in Daegu. The meeting was presided over by Japanese Minister of the Environment Ishihara Nobuteru and Chinese Vice Minister of Environmental Protection Li Ganjie.

The three representatives selected nine areas for cooperation. They discussed ways to cooperate on a wide range of environmental issues, including water pollution, ocean waste, general waste, chemicals and biodiversity, and adopted a joint communiqué which contains the results of the meeting.

The nine selected areas for cooperation are: improving the quality of the air and biodiversity; chemical substance management and responding to environmental disasters; resource management; the cross-border shifting of electronic waste; responding to climate change; preserving drinking water and the ocean; raising public awareness and education about the environment and the social responsibility of companies; managing the environment in agricultural areas; and, finally, realizing a green economy.



The ministers agreed to make a concerted effort to reduce air pollution caused by fine particulate and to prevent air pollution from worsening. They also agreed to work together to share their air pollution prevention measures, to share successful case studies and to exchange air pollution reduction technology.

The three countries agreed to confirm the joint action plan for trilateral cooperation at next year’s TEMM, which will take place in China in March 2015. They also agreed to make the Tripartite Policy Dialogue on Air Pollution, which took place in China this past March, into an annual event and to hold a second meeting in Korea next year.

Prior to the meeting, Minister Yoon met separately with his Chinese and Japanese counterparts. Minister Yoon and Vice Minister Li agreed to push ahead cooperation on fine dust issues. They also agreed to share real time air pollution observation data from 74 Chinese cities.

Minister Yoon and Minister Nobuteru agreed to work together on five cooperation projects in order to jointly respond to fine dust issues between Korea and Japan. The five projects include sharing real time data about fine particulate and related assessment methodologies.

Minister Yoon said that this meeting was the highest-level meeting on the environment ever held between Korea, China and Japan, noting that the three countries are neighbors and share a common atmosphere and ocean. “The three countries share the common view that fine dust issues and air pollution will negatively affect health and the environment of all three countries. We agree to make a joint effort to improve air quality in Northeast Asia,” said Yoon.

By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
arete@korea.kr