Welcome to BASE21

The Second Workshop on Environmental Peace in Northeast Asia was held August 28-31, 2001 in Yanji, China by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Region, China. Green Yanbian, TumenNET and UNESCO supported the workshop. There were participants from a variety of non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies and academics in China, Japan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Australia and intergovernmental organizations such as UNESCO and the Tumen Secretariat of UNDP.

The Workshop discussed major national and regional environmental issues in Northeast Asia and especially focused on environmental conservation and development in the Tumen River Area. Participants all agreed to the establishment of the Eco-Peace Network for Northeast Asia to continue activities for environmental cooperation in this region. The urgent necessity of the international conservation approaches such as UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in the lower Tumen River Area was also emphasized, considering that the border area which has internationally important ecosystems such as habitats of endangered species should be protected through the concerted action of neighbouring countries.

Concerning the transboundary conservation cooperation such as establishment of a UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in the Lower Tumen River Area,

- It was strongly suggested to establish a working group to develop specific recommendations and action plans relating to the UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in the Lower Tumen River Area.

- Participants kindly requested UNESCO to support the establishment of the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in cooperation with China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation.

- Participants recommended to report the above mentioned workshop conclusion regarding the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in the Lower Tumen River at the 7th EABRN Meeting.