10/10/2016
Declaration was approved by the Heads of State/Government of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on the occasion of the 27thASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 21st November 2015.
Welcoming the successful convening of the 13thASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment (AMME)held in Hà Nội (Việt Nam) on 28th October 2015; the ASEAN Environment Year (AEY) 2015 celebration with the theme “Empowering the Youth for a Green ASEAN Community” and the 2ndASEAN Eco-schools Award Presentation Ceremony on 29th - 30th July 2015 in Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar); and presentation ceremony of the 3rdASEAN Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC) Award and 2nd Certificates of Recognition for Clean Air, Clean Water and Clean Land at the 15th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment (IAMME) on 30th October 2014 in Vientiane (Lao PDR);
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Taking cognizance of the growing need to address global and transboundary environmental concerns and ASEAN’s obligations to its people in ensuring environmental sustainability for their region and to achieve sustainable development;
Affirming our commitment to strengthen international cooperation to move the Sustainable Development Agenda forward through the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); also affirming a commitment to support global efforts to address climate change at the UNFCCC and biodiversity conservation at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in particular to achieve the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 - 2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets;
Recalling ASEAN’s countries commitment made in the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on a People-Oriented, People-Centred ASEAN (2015); the Declaration on Institutionalising the Resilience of ASEAN and its Communities and Peoples to Disasters and Climate Change (2015); the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on Realisation of the ASEAN Community by 2015 (2014); the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2015 Vision (2013); the Phnom Penh Agenda for ASEAN Community Building (2012); the Bali Declaration on an ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations (Bali Concord III) (2011); the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Sustainability (2007); and the ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks (2003);
Further recalling the regional commitments demonstrated in the Joint Communique of the 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (2015); the Bangkok Resolution on ASEAN Environmental Cooperation (2012); the Singapore Resolution on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change (2009); the Cebu Resolution on Sustainable Development (2006); and the Yangon Resolution on Sustainable Development (2003);
Welcoming Futher the ASEAN Joint Statement on Climate Change to the 21st Session of the COP to the UNFCCC (2015);
Noting improving environmental quality, and the adverse impact of climate change on socio-economic development, health and the environment in our region;
Noting also that, rapid economic development, while contributing to sustainable development and poverty eradication in the region, poses challenges in dealing with unsustainable consumption and production patterns, regional food and energy security concerns; and that growing urbanization increases the need for sustainable environmental management;
Recognizing the need to take an integrated and holistic framework for strategic decision-making in the face of global change to effectively address the challenges of environmental issues in this region including global warming, transboundary pollution, limited safe water supply, biodiversity loss, chemicals and waste, and coastal environmental degradation;
Emphasizing the importance of concerted efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation on the adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, the stemming of the loss of biodiversity, the management and control of water-related disasters as well as the enhancement of environmental education and public awareness on these issues;
Acknowledging the significance of ASEAN’s role in addressing environmental sustainability challenges such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, water resources management, sustainable cities, chemical safety, and transboundary pollution;
Welcoming the omnibus decision adopted by the ASEAN Member States to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) and the Alert Levels, Trigger Points and Actions on Fire Suppression to complement and enhance the existing Standard Operating Procedure for Monitoring, Assessment and Joint Emergency Response under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution; and recognizing the need for further concrete measures in this regard;
Welcoming also the initiatives by the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution (MSC) for countries to take the necessary actions in order to solve the transboundary haze pollution issues in a concerted manner through the operationalization of the ASEAN Sub-Regional Haze Monitoring System (HMS). We encourage MSC countries to share information on a Government-to-Government basis on hotspot areas that cause transboundary haze.
Commending the successful conclusion of the ASEAN Project on Rehabilitation and Sustainable Use of Peatland Forests in South East Asia (2009 - 2014) and the Sustainable Management of Peatland Forests in Southeast Asia Project (2010 - 2015) which contributed to the implementation of ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy; and the endorsement of successor ASEAN Programme on Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems (2014 - 2020) at the 9th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2013;
Reaffirming the importance of the ASEAN State of Environment Report and process as a framework to promote environmental sustainability and to support decision-making for the relevant sectoral bodies, Governments and other stakeholders and, in that regard, lauding efforts to prepare the Fourth ASEAN State of Environment Report (2009) and welcoming the participation of the United Nations Environment Programme and other development partners in that process;
Expressing appreciation for the efforts and support of ASEAN Member States and all partners to promote environmental management for sustainable development in ASEAN;
Emphasizing the important role that the ASEAN Member States can play in carrying out collective action to address these challenges for mutual benefit and the common good;
Do hereby declare our commitment to:
Implement decisions by the ASEAN Summit and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment to ensure the coherence, transparency, continuity and effectiveness of the representation of ASEAN Member Stateswhere a common position exists, in the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC, Convention on Biological Diversity, and the chemicals-related international conventions such as the Basel Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention, and the Minamata Convention on Mercury, subject to where applicable that have been ratified by Parties, as well as an internationally agreed-upon system such as the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) there to;
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| Strengthening cooperation among ASEAN Member States and partners to solve general environmental issues |
Continue our efforts to establish a balance among economic growth, social development and environmental sustainability as well as to strengthen ASEAN’s commitments for the realization of the Post 2015 Development Agenda and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
Continue to implement the action lines on environmental sustainability in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint in an effective and timely manner towards a clean and green ASEAN Community, while streamlining our efforts to ensure the achievement of the ASEAN Community Post-2015 Vision and ASCC Blueprint goals, key results areas, and corresponding strategic measures through the adoption and implementation of sub-sectoral action plans;
Accelerate the development and implementation of the ASEAN Programme on Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems (2014 - 2020) to eliminate transboundary haze pollution in the ASEAN region by further intensifying regional and international cooperation on preventing land and forest fires and reducing the impact of transboundary air pollution through joint efforts in continuously monitoring weather and ground conditions, implementing preventive activities including those under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP), and promoting efforts among ASEAN Member States to ensure that companies adopt zero burning techniques in land clearing;
Agree to explore means of further enhancing regional cooperation efforts for delivering demonstrable improvements in achieving a vision of haze-free ASEAN by 2020 through development of an ASEAN Haze-Free Roadmap which is a clear and time-bound roadmap for a haze-free environment as called for under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and the establishment of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control;
Encourage ASEAN Member States to address climate change through the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures in line with their respective country policies and priority as well as expertise, technical, technology and financial support; and to strengthen regional cooperation efforts in this regard, including through the implementation of the ASEAN Action Plan on Joint Response to Climate Change;
Encourage innovative financing options to promote investment in research and development of climate-friendly technologies for deployment in the ASEAN countries, in line with their respective national priorities; and mainstreaming of sustainable development at all levels and integrate sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns into our national policies which is fundamental in addressing all aspects of environmental sustainability;
Intensify efforts to effectively implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 - 2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; and to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of support from the Global Environment Facility and other possible sources of funding for the implementation of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs);
Take steps forward to complete the ratification of the Establishment Agreement of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and contribute to the ASEAN Biodiversity Fund;
Promote programmes on protected areas in the ASEAN region and ASEAN Heritage Parks as exemplary networks for effective protected area management;
Strengthen cooperation on sustainable forest and peatland ecosystem management in ASEAN to reduce deforestation and land degradation;
Achieve by 2020, the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks and agreements, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment in the ASEAN region;
Promote sustainable water resources management through Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) and transboundary water cooperation initiatives within ASEAN by enhancing efforts to implement the new ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on Water Resources Management to be developed in line with the ASEAN Community Post-2015 Vision;
Carry out individual and collective actions, in a broad range of sectors, to address water-related disasters in the Southeast Asia region by strengthening cooperation among ASEAN Member States and their partners in the prevention of flood and drought and the relief and rehabilitation of its impacts, including through the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER);
Enhance coordination and collaboration among ASEAN Member States and partner organizations to provide continuous support for creating opportunities to share and exchange information and knowledge on sustainable urban issues to further establish and scaling up environmentally sustainable cities (ESC) in ASEAN region; and to promote environmentally sustainable practices through presentation of the ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC) Awards and Certificates of Recognition;
Improve capacity to promote conservation and sustainable management and utilization of marine and coastal ecosystems;
Incorporate environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD) in the curricula, materials and resources; and the promotion of public awareness on the importance of sustainable development and environmentally sustainable practices;
Strengthen implementation of the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan (AEEAP) 2014 - 2018 to enhance public awareness on environmental management for sustainable development and accelerate the development and advancement of environmental education as a key integrating component for achieving sustainable development in the region;
Mobilize financial support and cooperating to build capacity for ASEAN Member States in achieving environmentally sustainability and climate resilience; and to develop a sustainable plan to streamline funding and maximize contributions towards effectively addressing the environment and climate change issues at both national and regional levels;
Encourage the exchange of scientific and technical expertise in partnership with regional and global experts, and enhance cooperation towards joint research and development of appropriate measures to minimize the impact of environmental degradation and climate change; and pool our experiences, expertise and technology in areas such as urban planning including green cities, climate change and water-related disaster resilience, water resources management, biodiversity conservation, chemicals and waste management, and transboundary pollution control;
Continue to work closely with Dialogue Partners, within the frameworks of ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summit including through the mechanisms of ASEAN Plus Three Environment Ministers’ Meeting and EAS Environment Ministers’ Meeting to address both existing and emerging global environmental issues;
Support the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and sub-regional cooperation such as the Greater Mekong Sub-region Economic Cooperation (GMS), the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), the Ayeyawady-ChaoPhraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECES), the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the Heart of Borneo Initiatives (HOB) between Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Indonesia, which are relevant to natural resources and environmental aspects, without prejudice to any ongoing territorial claims.
