LANGKAWI: Asean needs to take a stronger position in global climate discussions, according to Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. He emphasized that this is crucial for keeping the region’s environmental agreements relevant.
In his opening remarks at the 18th Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME-18), Johari highlighted the importance of regional cooperation. “We aim to boost collaboration on environmental issues across different sectors, especially among the Asean Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN),” he stated.
Asean’s environment ministers from 12 countries, alongside EU representatives, participated in the AMME-18 to address pressing environmental matters affecting the region.
“We must unite to make a real impact in global climate talks,” Johari insisted. He pointed out that Asean should focus on areas like climate finance, adaptation strategies, and the Global Goal on Adaptation. As the acting Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister, he believes this meeting could help shape Asean’s position ahead of the upcoming UN climate change conference, COP30.
Johari expressed hope that this meeting would further implementation of essential multilateral agreements, including the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. “This is our chance to build strong partnerships and create practical solutions for a sustainable and climate-resilient future,” he added.
Interestingly, global attention on climate change has grown considerably in recent years. A recent survey found that 72% of people in Southeast Asia see climate change as a pressing issue, highlighting the urgency for Asean’s unified response. Social media trends also show increasing discussions around sustainability, with hashtags related to climate action gaining traction.
As Malaysia takes the lead as Asean chair this year, the upcoming summit themed “Inclusivity and Sustainability” aims to be one of the largest in the organization’s history. With events like these, Asean has the potential to demonstrate significant leadership on global environmental issues.
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