Prepared by Ms. Ella Antonio, Earth Council.

1. ASIA AND PACIFIC
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Integration and Coordination
Situation and Issues
Ella S. Antonio
Earth Council Asia-Pacific

2. SD INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Multi-stakeholder Inter-Governmental
Non-State Actors at the
Global SD Body
sidelines
Regional Regional
Regional
Inter-Governmental
Regional
Multi-stakeholder Process
Non-State Actors at
Process
Regional Process
Process the sidelines
SD Bodies
Regional Regional
Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder Inter-Governmental
Process Process
Non-State Actors at
Process
Process
Sub-Regional
the sidelines
SD Bodies
Regional
Regional Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder &
Multi-
Process
Process
stakeholder Process
Governmental
Process
National and National and Local
Local SD Bodies Bodies
Ideal Set-Up Current Set-Up in AsPac

3. ESD BODIES AT VARIOUS LEVELS
Europe AsPac LatAm Africa
Global SD Body UNCSD (UNDESA)
UNECE, ESCAP, ESCWA ECLAC, UNDP- ECA,, UNDP-
EC, UNDP UNDP-AP, UNEP-ROAP LatAm, UNEP- Africa
RegionalESD
Regional
Regional Europe UNEP-ROWA ROLAC UNEP-ROA
Process
Bodies
Process
UNEP-ROE
ASEAN, GMS SAARC,
SACEP, SPREP,
c/o Ingeborg NEASPEC, CAREC, NI NI
Regional
Regional
Sub-Regional ESD ICSD,
Process
Bodies
Process Sub-regional branches of
ESCAP, UNEP, UNDP
National/Local National/Local National/Local National/Local
Regional
Regional ESD Body ESD Body ESD Body ESD Body
National/Local
Process
Process
ESD Bodies
UNDP CT UNDP CT UNDP CT UNDP CT

4. ASPAC REGIONAL ESD BODIES
ESCAP/ESCWA UNDP UNEP
Function Forum for governments to Advocates for change; Helps governments
review & discuss economic & connects countries to translate global
social issues; strengthen knowledge, experience and environmental commitments
regional cooperation; resources; leads into national action; create
promote sustainable programming of GEF & partnerships and
economic & social climate-related funds; leads constituency for
development; strengthen UN country team. environmental actions
institutional capacities
Focus/ Macroeconomic policy; Governance; Poverty MEAs; Regional
social development; trade & Reduction and MDG; Crisis environmental issues
Priority investment; transport; Prevention/Recovery;
Themes environment & SD; disaster Environment & Energy;
risk reduction HIV/AIDS

5. ASPAC REGIONAL ESD BODIES
ESCAP/ESCWA UNDP UNEP
Committee on Environment & Division of Regional
Focal Unit N/A
Development/ EDD Cooperation/Regional Offices
Membership ESCAP – 62; ECWA - 14 AP -62; -WA-14 ROAP - 47 ; ROWA - 12
Inter-agency mtgs, Regional Inter-agency mtg; Regional
Horizontal Regional consultation meetings;
Coordination Mechanism & Bureaus; inter-national
Integration MCED; direct CS participation
consultations, MCED consultations
Upstream_ECOSOC Upstream: ECOSOC Upstream: Governing Council;
Downstream: sub-regional Downstream: sub-regional Downstream: sub-regional
Vertical
offices; countries offices; countries offices; Environment Ministers
Integration
Form: Consultation Form: Consultation Form: projects through UNDP
meetings; project thru UNDP meetings; projects at country level
Institutionalized w/ Structure
Stakeholder Consultative mtgs/fora e.g.
Consultative mechanism (MG Stakeholder Branch; MG
Participation AsPac Business Forum
Stakeholder Forum)

6. NOTES ON REGIONAL ESD BODIES
• There are many more relevant and related regional bodies
that deal with ESD (e.g. other UN programs, regional IFIs)
• Overlaps among the bodies are very apparent
• Many attempts to coordinate and harmonize
agenda/activities but their effectiveness is not readily
discernible
• Representation or integration of initiatives is possible (e.g.
UNEP by UNDP at country level) = One UN
• Despite the regional bodies, DESA goes straight to
countries and vice-versa on UNCSD matters.

7. ASPAC SUB-REGIONAL ESD BODIES
ASEAN SAARC ICSD
Coverage Southeast Asia/10 nations South Asia / 8 nations Central Asia/ 5 nations
Focus Economic, social, cultural Economic & social Economic, environment &
development; ESD development natural resources
Objective/ Accelerate economic growth, Strengthen cooperation on Regional cooperation in
Function social progress, & cultural economic growth & social environmental protection and
development; promote progress; strengthen SD; solve problems related to
regional peace & stability collective self-reliance Aral crisis
Vertical Country participation; Country participation; Country participation;
Integration representation in regional & representation in regional and representation in regional and
global bodies global bodies global bodies
Horizontal Regular summit & meetings Meetings of heads of states & Annual meeting of heads of
Integration of foreign ministers, standing Council of Foreign Ministers; states
and other functional Standing Committee; project
committees Action Committees
Participation CS affiliation Guide Consultation meetings Consultation meetings
mechanism

8. ASPAC SUB-REGIONAL ESD PROGRAMS
NEASPEC SPREP SACEP GMS
Coverage Northeast Asia/ 6 Pacific/ 25 island South Asia Southeast Asia and
nations states Yunnan province
Creator/Year ESCAP/1993 ESCAP/1982 Member govts/ 1982 ADB/1992
Objective/ Address Promote ESD in the Cooperate in Envt in Implement projects
Function environmental region; focus on CC, the context of SD in e.g. transport,
problems; promote Biodiversity, Waste (waste mgt; CC energy, envt.,HRD,
common policy Mgt adaptation, data mgt)
agriculture
dialogue
Vertical Participation of Country participation; Governing Council; Feeds into ASEAN,
Integration Environment Ministries; representation in feed into regional and ESCAP and sub-
reports/inputs to ESCAP regional and global global bodies/mtgs regional bodies
bodies/mtgs
Horizontal Meetings of officials; Consultation Sectoral working
Integration national focal points Annual meetings meetings grps; ministerial mtgs
Participation Consultation Consultation
mechanism Not clear Consultation meetings meetings meetings

9. NOTES ON SUB-REGIONAL BODIES
• Many more sub-regional bodies (e.g. UNDP, UNEP, MRC) and
programs (e.g. CAREC) that deal with ESD exist
• There are very little integration and coordination activities these
bodies and programs. Perhaps these are unnecessary in some
cases but there may be room for cooperation for better
efficiency and effectiveness.
• National positions on ESD issues are brought directly to global
• Linkages of many sub-regional bodies to regional bodies are
hazy.

10. ASPAC NATIONAL SD BODIES
Multistakeholder
Philippines Philippine Council for Sustainable Development 1992 Minister, Planning
Japan Japan Council for Sustainable Development 1996 Tri-sectoral
Mongolia National Council for Sustainable Development 1996 Prime Minister
Uzbekistan National Commission for Sustainable Development 1997 Deputy PM
Kazakhstan Council for Sustainable Development 1998 Prime Minister
Kyrgyztan National Council on Sustainable Human Development 1998 President
Korea Korea Presidential Commission for Green Growth 2000;2009 Pres; Private Sector
Nepal National Commission for Sustainable Development 2002 -
Vietnam National Council for Sustainable Development 2005 Deputy PM
Thailand National Council for Sustainable Development - -
Governmental (Inter-Agency)
Russia Inter-Agency WG on Sustainable Development 1996 Minister, Economy
Tajikistan National Commission for Sustainable Development 1998 Prime Minister
Iran National Council for Sustainable Development - -
All Other Formations are Governmental; some are inter-Agency

11. NOTES ON NATIONAL ESD BODIES
• Only few bodies are consistent with A21 prescription. Many of
these bodies are inactive
• Most ESD bodies are led by governments so vertical and
horizontal linkages are strong
• Governmental bodies are mostly led by the environment ministry;
a few by ministries of development/planning (e.g., China, Phil,
Vietnam), hence limited participation of social & economic sectors
• SD are sensitive to changes in leadership and availability of
funds (e.g. Korea, Japan, Mongolia)
• Parallel bodies, often superior than the NCSDs, are created (e.g.
CC bodies)
• Most formulated NSDS but many are not implementing it fully/well

12. CHALLENGES FACED BY NON-STATE ACTORS
• Some countries do not have developed or vibrant civil society
• Limited democratic spaces; limited engagement
• Lack of recognition and encouragement from government
• Low capability, maturity, expertise to engage governments
• Mechanisms for representation, feedback and accountability
remain weak at all levels.
• Inadequate and unsustained financing
• Limited access to information

13. STRENGTHENING THE REGIONAL/SUB-REGIONAL
SD BODIES/MECHANISMS
• Consider in the over-all reform of SD institutional framework
Strengthen connections and interaction among various
levels (vertical)
Clarify functions and focus areas of each level
Promote subsidiarity principle (e.g. localized issues,
monitoring thru SD targets/indicators)

14. STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL SD MECHANISM
• Create independent and self-sustaining SD body that is
legally directly linked to government (address leadership,
influence and funding issues)
• Enable its substantive content strategic, useful & consistent
with A21
• Entry point is NSDS where vision and goals are spelled
out (SDG)
• Monitor & Evaluate (SD targets/indicators)
• Promote NCSD networking/exchanges
Provide venue for exchange of knowledge & experiences
Regular regional and global meetings of NCSDs levels
Cooperative undertakings (joint projects) among NCSDs

15. PROMOTE ACTIVE AND MEANINGFUL
PARTICIPATION OF NON-STATE ACTORS
• Provide access to adequate and sustained resources including
establishing deliberate financing scheme to sustain CS capacity
building
• Provide incentives for participation of non-state actors in NCSD
and NSDS matters
• Develop the mechanisms for vertical and horizontal
representation and feedback
• Establish accountability mechanisms
• Ensure access to information; establish regional Principle 10
Convention
• Maintain CS independence and flexibility

16. SD INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Multi-stakeholder Inter-Governmental
Non-State Actors at the
Global SD Body
sidelines
Regional Regional
Regional
Inter-Governmental
Regional
Multi-stakeholder Process
Non-State Actors at
Process
Regional Process
Process the sidelines
SD Bodies
Regional Regional
Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder Inter-Governmental
Process Process
Non-State Actors at
Process
Process
Sub-Regional
the sidelines
SD Bodies
Regional
Regional Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder &
Multi-
Process
Process
stakeholder Process
Governmental
Process
National and National and Local
Local SD Bodies Bodies
Ideal Set-Up Current Set-Up in AsPac

17. Option: Asia Pacific SD Council
• Composed of representatives of ESCAP
Multi-stakeholder
Global SD Body
(secretariat), UNEP ROAP, Sub-Regional
Bodies, none-state actors, and other
relevant entities
Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder
• Roles (through the members)
Process
Regional
Process
SD Bodies
• Global-sub-regional linkage and
coordination
• Thematic (e.g. CC) and geographical (5 sub-
Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder regions & AsPac region) integration,
Process
Process
Sub-Regional coordination, facilitation and monitoring
SD Bodies
• Regional Knowledge, Information and
Education Center
Regional
Regional • Sub-regional exchanges
Multi-
Process
Process
stakeholder
• Regional studies and researches
National and
Local SD Bodies • Data banking and analysis

18. Option: Sub-Regional SD Councils
• Composed of representatives of Sub-
Multi-stakeholder
Global SD Body Regional Bodies, none-state actors,
other relevant entities (e.g. IFIs) and
sub-regional programs
Regional
Regional • Roles
Multi-stakeholder
Process
Regional
Process
SD Bodies • Regional-National linkage and coordination
• Thematic (e.g. CC) and geographical
(national) integration, coordination,
Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder facilitation and monitoring
Process
Process
Sub-Regional
SD Bodies • Sub-regional Knowledge, Information and
Education Center (closely linked to
Regional)
Regional
Regional • National exchanges
Multi-
Process
Process
stakeholder
National and
• Sub-regional studies and researches
Local SD Bodies • Data banking and analysis

19. Create/Strengthen: National and Local SD Councils
• Multi-stakeholder; multi-sector
Multi-stakeholder
Global SD Body • Roles
• Mechanism for Global-Regional-National-Local
linkages, integration and coordination
Regional • Means for cooperative action and forging
Regional
Multi-stakeholder commitment
Process
Regional
Process
SD Bodies • Voice /Advocate of sustainability
• Venue for resolving inter-sectoral
issues/conflicts
Regional
Regional
Multi-stakeholder • Vehicle for education, information dissemination
Process
Process
Sub-Regional and awareness raising (National Knowledge,
SD Bodies Information and Education Center)
• Mechanism for formulating, monitoring and
Regional assessing implementation of national SD
Regional
Multi- strategies
Process
Process
stakeholder
National and
• Thematic (e.g. CC) and geographical (local)
Local SD Bodies facilitation and monitoring and evaluation

20. Would all these be politically tenable?
If not, what other options are available?