The The Greater Tumen Region, like other parts of Asia, has experienced economic development at the expense of the environment. Regional initiatives and local support are imperative to restoring the environment and preventing further damage. GTI aims to ensure that environmental concerns are addressed in the priority sectors, and issues such as climate change, eco-tourism, clean energy and industrial technologies are integrated into development projects. The GTI Environmental Board seeks to bring together various stakeholders, including the private sector, local governments, and international organizations to create better development practices in order to ensure both environmental and economic viability.

The environment was one of the earliest areas of concentration of the TRADP, and also the subject of the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Principles Governing the Tumen River Economic Development Area and Northeast Asia, signed by representatives of all the member countries in New York in December 1995.  Environment remains the cross-cutting sector for the priority sectors of GTI cooperation.

The GTI aims for coordinated regional activities promoting environmental sustainability in the GTR. The GTI seeks further cooperation among the member countries to identify and implement appropriate proposals on joint activities aimed at the coordination of environmental policies and environmental protection.