The United Nations Environment Porgramme and DPRK Officials announced the launch of the State of the Environment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi on 27 August 2004. Initiated by Executive Director Klaus Toepfer following his visit to DPR Korean capital Pyongyang in November 2000, DPRK officials from 20 government and academic agencies produced the report with training guidance from UNEP’s assessment office in Bangkok and the UNDP office in Pyongyang. The report uses the “pressure-state-response” methodology to identify and illustrate major environmental challenges relating to forests, water, air, land and biodiversity.

The report indicates that forests cover three quarters of DPRK while almost all is on steep slopes over 20 degrees. In recent years, however the country saw a drastic decline of forests due to forest clearing activities, excessive firewood consumption, and landslides. Recognizing such issues, DPRK has adopted the national law on forest while promoting number of national campaigns such as the National Tree Planting Day (March 2).
While relatively rich in water resources, the nation faces challenges in maintaining water supply and quality due to unfavorable characteristics such as narrow rivers and steep slopes. Moreover, industrialization coupled with population growth is giving rise to water pollution problems including sewage treatment and industrial wastewater. The report notes that urgent investments are needed in sewage treatment, pollution monitoring, and water purification.
In terms of air pollution, DPRK’s reliance on coal for power generation and industrial processes, and growing population have created serious side effects, in particular the rise in NOx and SO₂. These environmental pressures underlie the urgent need for the comprehensive monitoring and studies on their effects on human health, while clean coal combustion, exhaust gas purification technologies, and energy efficiency should also be further highlighted.
Due to soil degradation caused by floods, droughts, and loss of forest, soils of DPRK require an expansion of restorative policies in conjunction with protection measures for forest and water resources.
DPRK is rich in biodiversity and is home to several genetic resources. Basic measures such as the “National Strategy·Implementation Plans for Biodiversity Protection (1998)” were developed to protect these natural valuables, yet further advancements are called for.

The assessment report also contains 16 project proposals - from awareness campaigns to major technology overhauls – with clear illustrations on the project objectives, time frames, and estimated budget.

More information is available at www.unep.org