What is 3RKH?

The principle of reducing waste, reusing and recycling resources and products is often called the "3R".
3RKH is the Knowledge Hub where information and resources related to implement such activities are;

• Created, collected and stored for easy retrieval.
• Shared, enriched and disseminated,
• Monitored.

History
As a follow up, the 3R Initiative was officially launched at the 3R Ministerial Conference hosted by the Government of Japan in April 2005, with an aim to promote global action on 3R. In March 2006, Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) on 3R was organized in Japan resulting in strong commitment of governments and other stakeholders to implement 3R at local, national, and regional level.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved Technical Assistance for Establishment of Regional Knowledge Hubs (RETA 6295) to establish regional knowledge hubs.

During May – July 2006, ADB, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNEP RRC.AP), and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) have discussed and agreed to begin the establishment of a joint regional knowledge hub on 3R (3RKH) by the support providing from the above technical assistance. In this regard, a Letter of Intent (LoI) on ‘The Establishment of Regional Knowledge Hub on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3Rs)’ was signed by each representative among ADB, AIT, UNEP, and UNESCAP on 7 August 2006.

Mr. Surendra Shrestha, regional director and representative, UNEP, Prof. Said Irandoust, AIT President, Dr. Bindu Lohani, director general, Regional and Sustainable Development Department of the ADB, and Mr. Rae Kwon Chung, director of Environment and Sustainable Development Division, UNESCAP, shake hands after signing the agreement.

Vision

3RKH aims to;

• Support and strengthen Asia-Pacific’s regional capacity in generating innovative development concepts and technologies relevant to ADB and its developing member countries (DMC), and to promote networking among the regional institutes for knowledge dissemination.
• Mainstream new concepts in innovation, science, technology, management development, and related fields for the region.
• Promote information exchange and sharing of knowledge and information.

Objectives

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and United Nations Environment Programme Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNEP RRC.AP) are similarly interested to develop a partnership in establishing a regional knowledgehub (the Knowledge Hub) on the subject of reduce, reuse and recycle (3R)

Functions and Scope

The 3R Knowledge Hub will have three major functions:

1. Create, collect and capture 3R knowledge
1a. Identify need of information and related services in DMC and search existing information on 3R knowledge and relevant entities, seek collaboration with other hubs, and identify areas and/or sectors of which 3RKH would focus on and set priorities depending on capacity of the team

1b. Collect information on 3R knowledge in DMC focusing on good practices in relation to technology, policy, laws, regulation, and management

1c. Conduct research to develop knowledge product and/or 3R practical programmes based on collected information to fulfill DMC practical needs

1d. Produce 3R knowledge packages in both soft and hard copies such as training materials, knowledge booklets that could be given or distributed widely

2. Storage and retrieval of 3R knowledge

2a. Prepare hardware and software used for storage and retrieval based on existing facilities and ongoing development of Environment Knowledge Hub (eKH).

2b. Prepare format of meta database, design web interface, lay-out, style structure, and common format of information mechanism using a search engine

2c. Develop and update meta-database, carry out material input and populating content for website development

3. Share, enrich, and disseminate 3R knowledge

3a. Launch 3RKH website and update the website regularly, put link to other ADB hubs, and other 3R websites, and produce newsletters quarterly

3b.Share and disseminate 3R knowledge products (website, knowledge booklet, etc.)

3c.Organize the second 3RKH regional workshop to share, enrich, and disseminate 3R knowledge in the region

The scope of work for 3RKH based on the above three functions will include, but not be limited to:

a. Undertake research and disseminate new concepts on 3R to ADB’s DMC, and other interested stakeholders within the region,

b. Facilitate the sharing of development related topics and collaborate with development actors and stakeholders in providing new and constantly updated content on 3R to the DMC and the region as a whole,

c. Build research capacity to create knowledge in the area of 3R,

d. Liaise with academic, research, and relevant scientific and technical institutions, private sector,
civil society, and

e. Deliver specific knowledge outputs on 3R to satisfy DMC and other stakeholder needs (e.g., periodicals, website with links and updated information, workshops, and training courses).

Status Quo

Organized an Inception Workshop for 3R Knowledge Hub (3RKH) Concurrent Session under 7th Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production at Hanoi, Viet Nam on 26 April 2007.

• 3RKH website is under continuous development stage, your valuable suggestions to further enhance this Knowledge Hub will be highly appreciated.

Contact Us
Liang Li (Ms.)
Project Secretariat Team
UNEP Regional Resource Center for Asia and the Pacific
3rd Floor, Outreach Building,
Asian Institute of Technology
P.O.Box 4, Klongluang,
Pathumthani 12120,
THAILAND
Tel: 66-2-524-6495, Fax: 66-2-524-6233
E-mail: liang <at>rrcap.unep.org

A. Prem Ananth (Mr.)
Room E-121
Environmental Engineering and Mgmt.,
SERD -Asian Institute of Technology,
P.O.Box 4, Klongluang,
Pathumthani 12120,
THAILAND
Email: rrrkh <at> ait.ac.th
Phone: 66-2-524-6043

Street Address
58 Moo 9, Km. 42,
Paholyothin Highway Klong Luang,
Pathumthani 12120 Thailand