First round of environmental performance assessments
(2003–2006)

Environmental performance assessments were conducted in six GMS countries, namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Yunnan Province in the PR China. This was part of an ADB regional technical assistance project known as Strategic Environment Framework Phase II (SEF II) conducted from 2003–2005.

In the first round of EPAs, each of the GMS countries identified six to seven priority environmental issues for analysis under the pressure-state-response framework. These included: natural resources – forestry, fisheries, coastal zones, and biodiversity; water resources – water pollution; land – land degradation; urban environments – solid waste, mobile source pollution, toxic contamination; and atmosphere – air pollution, ozone depletion, climate change.

Subregional EPAs were also completed within this first phase of EPA reports, and focused on selected transboundary environmental issues across the GMS – the Mekong’s vital functions, illegal trade in wildlife, and remaining biodiversity.

In addition, to demonstrate the usefulness of the EPA approach at the subnational level, a series of case studies were undertaken in each GMS country. Topics were wide ranging, encompassing: community fisheries and biodiversity conservation (Cambodia), solid waste management and inland water pollution (Lao PDR), urban and inland water resources management (Myanmar), forest resources management and inland water pollution (Thailand), and provincial level applications of SoE reporting (Viet Nam and Yunnan).

Available reports:

Cambodia EPA

Thailand EPA

PR China-Yunnan Province EPA

Lao PDR EPA

Myanmar EPA

Viet Nam EPA

Published: June 2006