A major global environmental conference has opened on the southern island of Cheju.

More than one-thousand-200 government delegates, activists and representatives of international bodies from one-hundred-40 countries around the world are participating in the Global Ministerial Environment Forum and the Special Session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program.

The three-day conference is the first-ever UN environment meeting to be held in Asia.

Acting president, Goh Kun delivered a congratulatory speech at the conference. This year's conference is being held under the theme, 'Environmental Dimension of Water, Sanitation and Human Settlements.