Environmental Policy Support to US-AEP
Established in 1992, the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP), a program of USAID, leverages U.S. expertise and technology to promote sustainable environmental management in six Asian countries. Working with more than 300 Asian and U.S. partners to implement 67 initiatives, US-AEP devises innovative solutions in:
- environmental law and governance;
- improved court policies and practices;
- compliance and enforcement;
- dispute prevention and resolution;
- community and citizen participation; and
- air quality and water resources management.
The cornerstone to US-AEP's approach is counterpart exchange to promote dialogue between agencies and organizations in Asia and the U.S., to identify common priorities, and to provide technical assistance to help formulate new environmental strategies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. state agencies are central players in this exchange.
PADCO assisted US-AEP by building these sustainable partnerships among government agencies, legislatures, courts, companies, cities, environmental groups, and communities to share best practices, build capacity and knowledge, and ultimately strengthen environmental laws, policies, and institutions. To create a climate for institutional change, PADCO fostered key relationships between counterpart agencies and provided meaningful technical assistance, specialized training, and opportunities for ongoing regional exchange.
PADCO's work resulted in tangible policy and institutional changes in Asia, which is the fastest growing region in the world. As a result of these Asian and U.S. partnerships, Asian governments adopted the following new environmental policies and institutions:
- Establishment of a green bench on the Thai Supreme Court
- Development of Clean Water Act and the implementing rules and regulations in the Philippines
- Creation of a mediation center for dispute prevention and resolution under Thailand's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
- Development of wastewater pollution charges and environmental fund in compliance and enforcement
- Development of community-based management environmental programs in Vietnam
- Development of draft self-monitoring regulations for some industrial sources in Thailand
- Decentralization of agency environmental adjudication in the Philippines
