30/12/2021
32nd Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN 32) and related Meetings was held virtually from September 15-17, 2021. ASOEN 32 Meeting is an occasion for ASEAN Member States (AMS) to jointly review ASOEN's action plan, as well as discuss to make recommendations, through which ASOEN's activities become more and more effective, contributing to achieving draft ASEAN Strategic Plan for Environment (ASPEN) and and environmental sustainability within the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
There were other related Meetings were held back to back with ASOEN 32 Meeting, including: 15th ASEAN – Japan Dialogue on Environment (AJDEC); 1st ASEAN – ROK Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change; 3rd ASEAN-EU High – Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change (ASEAN – EU HLD); ASEAN-US Preparatory Dialogue for Engagement on Environment and Climate Change; 18th ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on the Environment (APT SOME).
Dr. Nguyen Van Tai, ASOEN Chairman of Viet Nam, Director General of Viet Nam Environment Administration, (fifth on the right) speaks at the ASOEN 32
Progress of 7 ASOEN Working Groups in 8 areas of environmental co-operation
At ASOEN 32, the AMS and the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) jointly reviewed the results of the 7 ASOEN Working Groups on coastal and marine environment, climate change, chemicals and waste, nature and biodiversity conservation, environmental education, environmentally sustainable cities, water resource management. The Meetings noted the progress of developnment and conclusion of the ASEAN Joint Statements: on Climate Change to 26th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP26); Joint Statements to the 15th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15); Joint Statement on Chemicals and Waste to the 2021 Meetings of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions; Draft ASEAN – China Joint Statement on Strengthening Co-operation for Green and Sustainable Development; draft ASEAN Status of the Climate Change Report.
The Meetings endorsed the nominations of the selected cities in the AMS for the 5th ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC) Awards and 4th ASEAN Certificates of Recognition for Clean Air, Clean Water, and Clean Land. This year 10 cities received the ESC Award and 13 cities received the ASEAN Certificates of Recognition. Viet Nam has Can Tho City received the ESC Award and Ninh Binh City received the ASEAN Certificates of Recognition for Clean Land. The award presentation ceremony was held back to back with the 16th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment in Indonesia (October 2021). At the same time, the Meeting noted the process of nominating new ASEAN Heritage Parks, including: Nam Poui National Reserve (Laos PDR); Endau Rompin Johor National Park (National Park) (Malaysia); Pasonanca National Park (Philippines); Con Dao National Park (Viet Nam).
In addition, a number of project proposals were also considered by the Conference to be implemented in the near future, namely the ASEAN – Germany Project on Strengthening Domestic Waste Management in ASEAN Cities; Clean Air Project for Sustainable ASEAN: ASEAN – KOR Air Pollution Program; ASEAN – Germany Climate Action Plan and East Asia Program on Marine.
Other activities within the framework of ASOEN were also recognized by the Meeting such as progress of the ASEAN Status of the Environment Report (SOER6). Accordingly, AMS have sent representatives to participate in the Technical Working Group to develop SOER6. As planned, the SOER6 Report will be completed and published in 2022; implementing the proposal to establish the ASEAN Green Economy Institute proposed by Myanmar; ASEAN Co-operation on Environmentally Friendly Technology; Building ASEAN Co-operation Framework on Sustainable Production and Consumption (SCP)…
Ninh Binh City received 4th ASEAN Certificates of Recognition for Clean Land
Viet Nam is committed to actively promoting co-operation on the environment
The Vietnamese delegation participating in ASOEN 32 Meeting and related Meetings has actively invloved in mutual discussions and deliberations on the important issues of the Meetings, well performing our role as the co-ordinating country for ASEAN-KOK co-operation from 2021; contributed many proposals for activities of cooperation fields such as nature conservation and biodiversity, coastal and marine environment, environmentally sustainable cities, chemicals and waste, environmental education, etc.
At the Meeting, Viet Nam also announced the hosting of the Sustainable Ocean Economy and Climate Change Adaptation Meeting, scheduled for December 2021 and called on AMS to participate and actively support. In 2022, Viet Nam is hosting 22nd Meeting of ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management.
ASOEN 32 Meeting also discussed an important aspect of ASEAN co-operation on the environment in 2021, with the organization of 16th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME) and other related Meetings. In addition, the 16th Meeting of ASEAN Committee under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze (AATHP) and the 16th AATHP Meeting of the Parties (COP 16 AATHP) were also held back to back with 16th AMME Meeting. These Meetings will be attended by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam.
2021 is a year of many challenges for the world in general and the ASEAN region in particular due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the context of common difficulties, Viet Nam is committed to continue working closely with AMS to minimize the impacts of the pandemic, while still making determined efforts to join hands to solve the regional priority environmental issues of climate change, nature conservation and biodiversity, marine debris, chemicals and waste, and interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral issues.
ASEAN attaches importance and actively promotes co-operation with dialogue partners through the formulation of the ASEAN – China Joint Statement on Strengthening Co-operation for Green and Sustainable Development; ASEAN – Japan Climate Action Programme 2.0; Organization of the ASEAN – EU High Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change (2021); ASEAN – ROK Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change (in the period of 2021 – 2024, Viet Nam is the co-ordinator of ASEAN – ROK co-operation); Support the idea of organizing the ASEAN – UK High Level Event on the sidelines of COP-26 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Organize a Preparatory Meeting for the ASEAN – US High Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change.
Can Tho City received 5th ESC Award
To respond to the requirements and responsibilities of our nation for ASEAN co-operation on the environment, Viet Nam will prioritize and allocate more human and financial resources in the upcoming time. At the same time, Viet Nam will continue to actively and proactively propose initiatives to further promote environmental cooperation activities among AMS and partner countries, especially on issues that receive great attention currently about climate change, marine debris, nature conservation and biodiversity, circular economy, sustainable production and consumption.
Nguyen Minh Cuong
Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation - Viet Nam Environment Administration
(Source: Vietnam Environment Administration Magazine, English Edition IV- 2021)
