Enhancement of the Regional Strategy on Climate Change through the Asia-Pacific Network on Climate Change (AP-net)

1. Definition

By improving the Asia-Pacific Network on Climate Change (AP-net) and sharing the climate policy-related information including Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the regional strategy on Climate Change should be enhanced.

2. Background

In the Asia-Pacific region, while greenhouse gas emissions from the region will continue to grow, the potential impacts of climate change are serious, and the signs of those impacts have already emerged in some countries. In order to implement the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, the region needs to promote policy dialogues among countries and enhance regional strategy for emissions limitation and adaptation policy. In particular, in order to implement measures efficiently through schemes including the CDM, it is necessary for each country to establish the system to share and obtain appropriate information easily.

3. Objective

The Asia-Pacific Network on Climate Change (AP-net) has been advocated at the Asia-Pacific Seminar on Climate Change by the initiative of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, and has been functioned as a focalpoint for the region's climate policy-related information since 1998. Considering that the importance of sharing various information will grow, the Government of Japan will further improve the AP-net by the collaboration with relevant countries and contribute to sustainable development in developing countries and enhancement of the regional strategies on climate change.

4. Contents of the Business

In addition to the existing functions, the AP-net mainly adds the following points and contributes to theenhancement of regional strategies on climate change:

1. Base of relevant information including the Kyoto Protocol

   Adding information required for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol including greenhouse gas inventories and outcomes of CDM feasibility studies.

2. Collection and provision of information on climate policy technology

   Collecting, improving and providing latest information including bio-mass, energy-conservation and renewable energy technologies such as solar energy generation.

3. Online capacity building

   Adding "e-learning" system as an online system that develops human resources who engage in climate policy

5. Partners involved

Twenty-five countries in the Asia-Pacific region, ESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) and Global Environment Center Foundation (GEC).