Langkawi, Malaysia – September 3, 2025 — Malaysia is urging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to present a unified front on environmental issues as climate leaders prepare for the upcoming 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30). The appeal was voiced during the 18th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME-18), hosted in Langkawi, where regional officials emphasised the urgency of coordinated climate action.
At the opening of AMME‑18—and the accompanying 20th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution—Dr Ching Thoo, Secretary-General of Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), called on member states to reaffirm their commitment to sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity. He underscored mounting climate risks—such as biodiversity loss, water and food insecurity—and urged ASEAN nations to elevate collaboration on green finance, circular economy models, and robust enforcement mechanisms.
AMME‑18 is also expected to see nations progress on long-planned environmental frameworks, including the establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change (ACCC), adoption of the Post‑2025 ASEAN Strategic Plan on the Environment, and rollout of the ASEAN Climate Change Strategic Action Plan. Delegates are discussing the formation of a Southeast Asia Alliance Group to amplify the bloc’s negotiating power in global climate talks.
Malaysia’s call for unity comes as Southeast Asia grapples with rapidly rising energy demand and climate vulnerability. The ASEAN region needs substantial investment and aligned policy responses to meet goals such as boosting renewable energy shares, strengthening food, water, and energy security, and delivering tangible outcomes from global climate negotiations.
