NEWS

The Heads of State and Government of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have signed a declaration committing to economic, social, cultural, physical and environmental measures that will reduce vulnerability to disaster and climate-related risks. The signatories pledge their intention to systematically mainstream disaster risk management (DRM) and climate change adaptation into policy making at the local, national and regional levels through multistakeholder engagement.

The 'Declaration on Institutionalizing the Resilience of ASEAN and Its Communities and Peoples to Disasters and Climate Change,' adopted at the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 27 April 2015, also calls for members to accelerate investments in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and adaptation, with a focus on important sectors for development such as: health; water management; ecosystems management; economic planning; agriculture; cultural heritage; education; infrastructure and construction; transport and telecommunication; and risk financing and risk transfer.

The signatories further plan to address the underlying factors that are exacerbating the risk of natural and human-made disasters, including climate change, ecosystem degradation, weak governance, and poor management of urban and rural development. According to the Declaration, ASEAN members will also undertake enhanced efforts in information dissemination, research and development, and monitoring.

The Declaration builds on the 2003 Declaration of ASEAN Concord II, which recognizes that to reach their full development potential, countries must address problems associated with population growth, environmental degradation, transboundary pollution and disaster management. The signatories state they are also mindful of their commitments under the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030, as well as those that may result from climate change and sustainable development agenda negotiations in 2015.

The Declaration pulls together the interlocking issues of climate change, disaster risk and sustainable development, referencing the various ASEAN documents and plans that address these issues, such as the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015), ASEAN Community's Post-2015 Vision, ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response, ASEAN Climate Change Initiative, ASEAN Action Plan on Joint Response to Climate Change, and the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Sustainability.

The ASEAN members are: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. [Declaration on Institutionalizing the Resilience of ASEAN and Its Communities and Peoples to Disasters and Climate Change] [ASEAN Press Release]