From September 22-23, in Ulaan-Baatar in Mongolia, the Senior Officers Assembly of the Northeast Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC) of the UN-ESCAP came about. For 2 days, the states of Northeast Asia (Mongolia, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and North Korea) mentioned joint actions concerning air air pollution, biodiversity, marine ecology, land degradation and desertification, and low-carbon cities. Good to see that every one states, together with North Korea, have been a part of these deliberations, regardless of severe political controversies. I had the prospect to take part for the Hanns-Seidel-Basis, since we work with NEASPEC since 2014, once we first organized collectively a brief fowl survey in Rason, North Korea, collectively additionally with Birds Korea. For these excited about birds, particularly migratory birds, the NEASPEC program is essential, since as a part of its bio-diversity program NEASPEC designated three “flagship birds”, specifically the Blackfaced Spoonbill, the White-Naped Crane, and the Hooded Crane, in addition to three “flagship mammals”, the Amur tiger, Amur Leopard, and Snow Leopard.
In his opening speech, State Secretary Zolbayar Togtokhjargal of the Ministry of Setting and Local weather Change of Mongolia burdened the dedication of Mongolia to defending the surroundings and burdened the significance of internet hosting subsequent 12 months the COP 17 of the UN Conference to Fight Desertification (UNCCD). Ambassador Ganbold Baasanjav, head of the ESCAP East and North-East Asia Workplace in Songdo, Incheon, known as on all states of the area to work collectively to handle environmental points. All nationwide delegations gave a abstract of their achievements and issues concerning environmental points in Northeast Asia. They reviewed air air pollution, biodiversity and nature conservation, marine protected areas, low carbon cities, and desertification and land degradation. The Chinese language delegation in an in depth method highlighted success in all areas, like much less air air pollution, new protected areas (together with one for the Nice Panda), but additionally the opposite areas like low carbon cities.
The North Korean delegate began with normal observations on the significance of environmental safety. He particularly burdened that over the past decade, North Korea reforested 1.45 million hectares of forest (final 12 months over 2 bn. “prime quality” saplings of timber have been raised), as a “patriotic deed” by all residents. Mr. Jo in contrast it to the Mongolian “billion timber” – marketing campaign. Lastly (in his quick contribution), he confirmed that North Korea was excited about regional cooperation on the problem – an encouraging signal, when in so many areas North Korea refuses to cooperate. The Japan delegation talked about that it hoped to create synergies within the Asia-Pacific from cooperation between UN-ESCAP, ADB, and different companies to advertise SDG within the area, together with the round financial system, biodiversity, and local weather change mitigation and adaptation, in addition to catastrophe administration. Additionally they highlighted that they supported greater than 230 tasks in 31 companion international locations, together with Mongoli,a concerning local weather change, plastic air pollution (addressed within the Osaka Ocean Imaginative and prescient, a program to cut back ocean air pollution to zero by 2050) and so forth. Mongolia reported on its up to date commitments concerning local weather change and the implementation of nature-based options. They admitted that air air pollution remains to be an necessary drawback that wants worldwide cooperation. The South Korean delegation confirmed that the brand new authorities made the preservation of biodiversity and huge ecosystems a nationwide precedence. They referred to the Our Oceans convention (the place HSF participated with UN-ESCAP in a particular session on the Yellow Sea ecosystem). Korea engages within the Korea-Mongolia Inexperienced Belt challenge, which is ongoing, together with the coaching of Mongolian foresters. Lastly, the Russian delegation reported on nationwide tasks on clear air (affecting industries and public transport), and expressed its hope to host the following low-carbon cities discussion board in Russia. Additionally they highlighted afforestation tasks, together with a brand new mechanism known as compensatory afforestation. They confirmed their curiosity in biodiversity safety by way of worldwide cooperation (like CBD or CITES), and in addition the event of eco-tourism and ecological agriculture.
Hanns-Seidel-Basis, in its contribution, highlighted the significance of ongoing safety of habitats in Northeast Asia; whereas some success has been achieved with regard to flagship species (just like the Blackfaced Spoonbill (BFS) or the White-Naped and Hooded Crane), habitat degradation remains to be occurring (within the Republic of Korea alone, 7-8 new airports are deliberate). All member states of UN-ESCAP are additionally members of EAAFP (the East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership) and are inspired to take part within the upcoming EAAFP MOP. Additionally, three states of the area (China, Russia, Mongolia) are a part of the Central Asian Flyway, the place an institutionalization course of started (within the CMS COP in Uzbekistan final 12 months). Lastly, there’s alsoan necessary overlap of biodiversity safety and marine protected areas, since these are essential for pelagic birds.
After the contributions of nationwide delegations and civil society, and worldwide group representatives, a deliberation of paperwork within the aforementioned areas, air air pollution, biodiversity and nature conservation, marine protected areas, low carbon cities, and desertification and land degradation started. Within the discipline of air air pollution, the Northeast Asia Clear Air Programme has enhanced information cooperation. After the SOM, there might be two days of a nationwide workshop on air air pollution in Mongolia, a rustic the place air air pollution may be very extreme and causes many deaths.
The biodiversity and nature conservation challenge focuses on six flagship species, 3 giant cats (Amur tiger, Amur leopard, Snow leopard), and three migratory birds (BFS, White-naped, and Hooded crane). One of many works of the long run is (lastly, after a very long time) the opening of a database on these species, making analysis extra obtainable regionwide. Additionally, for some species just like the BFS, the conservation success is seen, and a brand new up to date species survival plan has been ready, which might be submitted to the CMS COP subsequent 12 months in Brazil. The massive cat challenge is sponsored by Russia. For the birds, a brand new challenge of connectivity of habitats is deliberate (with a funds of just about 300.000 USD). Member states are requested to replace NEASPEC on ongoing actions on the flagship birds and their habitats, in addition to massive cats. Mongolia supplied to make use of its Mongolian Pavillion for aspect occasions within the Abu Dhabi 2026 Water convention.
Relating to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), two research on MPAs in China and South Korea have already been executed. One other research on both Japan or Russia might be executed in 2026. Hanns-Seidel-Basis, which began to work with North Korea on an MPA research for the nation, stays dedicated to ending it quickly. The motion plan for MPA in 2026 was accepted, together with the decision for DPRK (North Korea) to hitch NEAMPAN and designate MPA for participation in NEAMPAM.
By way of low-carbon cities, the NEASPEC fostered an LCCN (low-carbon metropolis community) and revealed a handbook on low-carbon cities. Within the subsequent 12 months, they need to open a digital platform for networking about LCC in Northeast Asia. Land Degradation is perhaps crucial subject of this 12 months´s NEASPEC SOM. That is associated to the internet hosting of the UNCCD COP in Ulaan-Baatar in August 2026. The UNCCD COP 17 expects to draw greater than 10.000 folks, and so is likely one of the largest COPS (in addition to UNFCCC). Mongolia appealed to all NEASPEC members to assist make the UNCCD COP a hit. In a particular presentation, Ms. Ariuntuya Dorjsuren, Director Common of the Coverage, Planning and Useful resource Mobilisation Division, Workplace of the COP-17 Nationwide Committee, defined extra about COP 17. (Ms. Ariuntuya Dorjsuren is alone chargeable for a number of dozen environmental treaties and conventions on the Ministry of Setting and Local weather Change of Mongolia, completely touring and an necessary companion for HSF in Mongolia and regionally). COP 17 might be divided into thematic days on water, land, resilience, folks, and meals and agriculture. HSF has to consider how they’ll contribute, almost certainly within the “folks” space (with UN affiliation, and so forth.), and in addition on nature-based options and rangelands (with the CAF/ EAAFP biodiversity element). The rangeland flagship initiative, a 10-year initiative for grassland rehabilitation, may very well be an necessary level of cooperation, if as a part of the CAF initiative, a big challenge is rising.
All three flagship species of migratory birds are additionally in Korea, the Blackfaced Spoonbill primarily as a breeding fowl, and in small numbers wintering on Jeju island, the 2 crane species, White-Naped Crane and Hooded Crane, as wintering birds. And all three fowl species within the final 20 years had a typically constructive improvement, for the Blackfaced Spoonbill to such an extent, that its international conservation standing has lately been upgraded from “Endangered” to “Weak”. Actually, the species benefitted enormously from the give attention to their conservation – from fowl festivals to raised counts, from feeding alternatives to the creation of protected areas, the survival of those species appears to be growing effectively. However, it does neither imply that work on the flagship species can finish nor that the supposed impact, to guard all biodiversity higher by way of the flagship species, has been achieved. The bag is at finest very blended, with some actual improved understanding and to some extent higher safety for migratory birds, and in addition plenty of setbacks, like new infrastructure improvement and declines, and lots of species much less within the highlight. This isn’t a unfavorable evaluation of the work of NEASPEC – quite the opposite, it is rather good and useful that the international locations of Northeast Asia work collectively to guard the attractive fauna and flora of Northeast Asia. On this respect, it is rather good that the work on flagship species will go on within the coming years.
Senior Officers Assembly of NEASPEC in Ulaan-Baatar, Mongolia, September 22, 2025 (© Bernhard Seliger)
Blackfaced Spoonbill Platalea Minor 저어새 Gimpo, 2025 (© Bernhard Seliger)
Blackfaced Spoonbill Platalea Minor 저어새 Gimpo, 2025 (© Bernhard Seliger)
Hooded Cranes Grus monachal 흑두루미 in Suncheon 2018 (© Bernhard Seliger)
