Introduction of
Water Environment Partnership in Asia(WEPA)
Noriaki Murase (WEPA Secretariat)
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
1What is WEPA?

Water Environment Partnership in Asia (WEPA)WEPA was launched in 2004 as a network of governmental officials in Asia to improvewater environmental governance in the region with full support of Ministry of theEnvironment, Japan (MOEJ). WEPA operates in a five-year cycle and the fourth phase startedin April 2019.

WEPA consists of partners in1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Cambodia
China
IndonesiaJapan
Lao PDR
MalaysiaMyanmar

13 Asian countries

8. Nepal9. Philippines
10. Republic of Korea
11. Sri Lanka
12. Thailand
13. Viet Nam

Republic of2

Priorities of the 1st and 2nd phases
Overall goal: Enhancement of Water Environmental
Governance in Asia
1st Phase

Development of an Information Platform ofWater Environmental Management

2nd Phase

Knowledge Sharing for Solution Finding

Water Environmental
Management Review

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WEPA database www. wepa-db.net

Domestic
Wastewater
Treatment

Climate Changeand Water
Environment

Issues Identified in the 2nd Phase3

Priorities and Activities of the 3rd and 4th Phase
Priority of the 3rd and 4th Phase: Actions for the Solutions
Framework of the Activities
Identifying and addressing critical issues
through sharing experiences and providing
technical support

Facilitating knowledge exchange anddialogues, thereby building capacity
Group workshops

Annual Meetings

Bilateral Dialogues
Action Program

Facilitating cooperation with international organizations and donor agencies

OutreachWebdatabase

WEPA Outlook+ Other Publications
4Inputs to international conferencessuch as the World Water Forum
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WEPA Action Program• WEPA Action Program was introduced from the 3phase to promote concrete actions for improving
water governance in each country.
• Action Program intends to be developed by a WEPA

partner country with assistance of the WEPA

Secretariat. MOEJ supports its implementation withthe leading experts in the field of issue.
• Practical lessons learned through this exercise will beshared with other WEPA partner countries.
5Agenda Setting for Action Program
Criteria for Designing Action Program• Needs of the country• Feasibility• Sustainability of the results• Replicability in the other areas and countries

6Process Chart of Action Program
Pre-screening
Developing plan: Consultation Meetingwith WEPA Secretariat
Designing details (Draft of the Action Program))
Implementing the Action Program and its support
Sharing the achievements (or the progress)
at WEPA Annual Meeting and Database
Interim Review
Follow-up7

Overview of WEPA Action Programs in the 3rd Phase
Country(Term)

Title of Action Program

Objectivs

Outcomes

Viet Nam(20142017)

Waste and Wastewater
Management of Pig Farms

To determine pollution
load units in pig
wastewater in Viet Nam

Establishment ofEffluent Standard
for Livestock Industry

Sri Lanka(20152019)

Improving Industrial
Waste and Wastewater
Management in GampahaDistrict

To develop/improvepolicy/guidelines related
to industrial siting andwaste/ wastewaterdisposal to prevent
groundwater pollution

Provision to legalize
the industrial siting
procedure as
amendment toNational
Environmental Act(planned)

Indonesia(2018- )To improve the water
Application of Total
quality of Citarum River
Maximum Daily Loads(TMDLs) for Effluent
Discharge Permit andCapacity Building for Local
Officials to Implement theTMDLs

Establishment of
new regulation
for TMDLs inIndonesia (planned)

Source: WEPA Third Phase Final Report, p.20

8The Main Objective of the Consultation Meeting To discuss appropriate actions/policies for thebetter water quality management in the Tonle
Sap Great Lake by sharing relevant experiences
 To identify priority actions included in theWEPA Action Program To build cooperative relations
participants for future actions

among9Agenda of the Consultation Meeting

Session 1:
Introduce Japanese experience on water
environment conservation in Lakes from theperspective of policy and practice
To understand Japanese experience and todiscuss lesson learned for future water
quality management in the Tonle SapGreat Lake10

Agenda of the Consultation Meeting

Session 2:
 Introduce Cambodian experience on water
environmental management of Tonle Sap
Great Lake Propose WEPA Action Program in Cambodia
To understand Cambodian experience andto discuss a draft proposal of the Action
Program from the Ministry of Environmentof Cambodia
11Thank you for your active participation

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