NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ECO-SOCIETY INFORMATION EXCHANGE PRESENTATION AT HEADQUARTERS, 21 DECEMBER
UNITED-NATIONS
Press Release
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NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ECO-SOCIETY INFORMATION EXCHANGE PRESENTATION AT
HEADQUARTERS, 21 DECEMBER
19981218
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__NEW YORK, 17 December (Department of Economic and Social Affairs) --
A presentation on "Information Exchange Programme on Eco-Society",
sponsored by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social
Affairs and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, is to be held at
Headquarters on Monday (21 December).
The presentation -- in Conference Room 9 at 4:30 p.m. -- will include
a video, CD-ROM and website demonstration reporting on the World
Conference on International Cooperation of Cities and Citizens for
Cultivating an Eco-Society (Tokyo Eco-Partnership Conference), which
took place in Tokyo from 26 to 29 May.
The Conference had three themes: (1) establishing regional recycling
systems; (2) international co-operation towards realization of an
eco-society; and (3) the creation of an eco-society civilization.
These themes were discussed in 11 subworking groups. At the end of the
Conference, the Tokyo Declaration on Eco-Partnership was adopted. The
entire text of the Declaration, as well as all technical and city
papers submitted for the Conference, can be accessed on the Internet
at http://www.eco.gr.jp.
The "Information Exchange Programme on Eco-Society" is a concrete
follow-up initiative of the Eco-Partnership Tokyo Conference, which
was co-sponsored by the United Nations and the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government. The website will be developed and extended to provide an
"organized road map" and "search engine" to link available websites
and information relevant to ecologically sustainable societies.
The website will also offer additional information on topics such as
waste management, urban transportation, water re-use, rainwater use,
energy- saving products, toxic-waste management, gender in
ecologically sustainable development, and eco-oriented production
models. It will also offer links to important institutions involved in
building sustainable cities such as international organizations,
municipalities, private businesses, non- governmental organizations
(NGOs), universities and research institutions.
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- 2 - Note No. 5543 18 December 1998
A new project, entitled "Human Resources Development for
Eco-Partnership Building in Local Governance" funded by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is another follow-up activity of
the Eco-partnership Tokyo Conference. It focuses on
partnership-building of both Asian and African cities, in order to
improve local Eco-society capacity-building in their cities through
Asia-Africa co-operation. African and Asian metropolitan cities can
develop partnerships for mutual learning in order to more effectively
tackle their urban environmental issues.
The project will include study tours, and training seminar/workshops
of mayors, city managers, representatives of business enterprises and
NGOs, for policy dialogue and learning skills and innovative
technologies, such as those for waste management, rainwater re-use
systems, and energy-saving production methods.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will offer a forum for further
policy dialogue on South-South co-operation by providing information
to Asian and African cities and provide technical know-how and
expertise at the training seminar/workshops to be held in Asian
cities. The new project is expected to play a catalytic role in
promoting South-South cooperation in strengthening local governance.