Prof.

Akio MORISHIMA

Our academic journal, International Review for Environmental Strategies (IGES) was launched in 2000, two years after the establishment of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Coming just before the tenth anniversary of IGES in April 2007, it is my greatest pleasure to be able to deliver the twelfth issue of IRES, featuring Best...

The United Nations designated 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action "Water for Life." In April 2005, its Comission on Sustainable Development identified water as one of its three important issues. On the World Environment Day of June 2005, the UN secretary general said that by 2030, more than 60 percent of the world's polulation will...

Groundwater, often described as “out of sight, out of mind”, is a crucial resource for mankind, yet not many people realise its crucial situation. This edition of IRES aims to highlight the importance of groundwater resource, particularly in Asia, and present new technologies and innovative solutions for groundwater management and policy. EDITORS'...

Asia is becoming the focus of global environmental concern. Of the world's 15 most polluted cities, 13 are in Asia; a third of Asians have no access to safe drinking water; and half of Asians have no access to adequate sanitation facilities.1 The rapid growth of two Asian giants, India and China, hints at a new world order coming, including a great...

Asia is becoming the focus of global environmental concern. This edition of IRES presents expert reviews on a broad range of environmental issues of direct relevance to Asia including climate change, forest management and the Kyoto Protocol, and delivers practical options to tackle these challenges. EDITOR'S NOTE http://enviroscope.iges.or.jp...

Urban environmental management is now one of the most crucial issues in Asia. This special edition of IRES on “Environmentally Sustainable City” gives broad perspectives of the urban issues including air, solid waste, water and ways to manage and foster cooperation among different stakeholders to suggest solutions to tackle these problems. EDITOR'S...

According to an estimation by the United Nations, 15 cities in the Asia Pacific region will become megacities with a total population exceeding 10 million by 2015, and 60 percent of the total population in the region will live in urban areas by 2030 (APFED 2005). Urban environment management in Asia is now one of the most critical subjects. Being...

The Kyoto Protocol was signed at the third Convention of the Parties (COP 3) in 1997, and its participating nations are now formulating national and international guidelines to achieve the protocol’s goals as they wait for it to come into force. At the same time, nations not participating in the protocol are taking measures to achieve parallel...

After seven years since the Kyoto meeting, this special issue of IRES surveys the various effects of the Kyoto Protocol at the national, regional and global levels to ascertain the effectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol as well as its major issues and barriers and to offer alternative options for future frameworks. EDITORS NOTE http://enviroscope.iges...

Water shortages and water related problems in Asia are increasingly attracting concern. Ahead of the Third World Water Forum (WWF3), this issue of IRES, featuring on the sustainable management of freshwater resources, introduces issues and challenges in Asia and provides invaluable suggestions to future research. EDITOR'S NOTE http://enviroscope...