The Regional Environmental Forum (REF) - Mainland Southeast Asia

The Regional Environmental Forum (REF) is a civil society forum for discussion and networking about environmental challenges in Mainland Southeast Asia The REF has jointly been initiated by the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (CICP), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the Thailand Environment Institute (TEI).

The First REF was held on 14-15 November 2002 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, attended by 35 independent researchers and civil society advocates from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Yunnan in Southern China. Main outcomes of the Forum include formation of a civil society network of the six Mekong countries, and a "Consensus Statement" The Statement is specific recommendations from the participants directed to governments, multilateral institutions, private corporations, and civil society groups with the objective of promoting good environmental governance in the Mekong region.

A REF publication will be available in early 2003. It will include:

1. Six country papers detailing the national state of environmental governance; and
2. The "Consensus Statement".

For more information about REF, please visit www.ref-msea.org