Issue 18: July-August 2002

UN University will sign an agreement with Shimadzu Corporation of Kyoto this month to begin a three-year project on Environmental Monitoring and Governance in the East Asian Hydrosphere. The project will focus on monitoring Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in rivers and freshwater bodies close to coastal areas. The objective is to develop an early-warning system to counter and minimize environmental pollution through periodic and systematic monitoring.

Water bodies, particularly coastal areas, are at particular risk of pollution from land-based sources. POPs, which  are highly resistant to natural degradation processes, include several categories of chemicals that are known to cause cancers and disrupt the normal functioning of hormones in humans and animals. 

Partner countries in the project include China, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Selected research institutions in these countries have been engaged since 1996 in a UNU-managed environmental monitoring and analysis programme, also sponsored by Shimadzu Corporation.

"One of the most significant contributions of UNU’s work is the capacity development of research and scientific institutions in the East Asian region to undertake environmental pollution monitoring," said UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel. "This effort has helped the institutions in understanding the extent of pollution coming to coastal areas from land-based sources, as well as in initiating other monitoring programmes."

The project agreement will be signed by Prof. van Ginkel and Mr. Hidetoshi Yajima, President and CEO of Shimadzu Corporation, at UNU Centre in Tokyo on July 15. For more information, contact UNU Public Affairs or Zafar Adeel.

Home

Copyright © 2002  United Nations University. All rights reserved.