LANGKAWI: Malaysia is set to take a leading role in addressing critical environmental challenges across Asean as it will chair two crucial sub-committees on Asean environmental issues for the next two years.
Acting Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the two sub-committees are Nature, Conversation and Biodiversity, as well as Chemical and Waste.
Johari said the decision was made after chairing the 18th Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME-18), as well as the 20th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) and related meetings today.
“Currently, we are in charge of the Climate (sub-committee), but we have finished our term.
“In the next two years, we will take charge on the Nature, Conversation and Biodiversity, as well as Chemical and Waste groups.
“We have spread this (distribution of roles) as a steering committee chairman (this year) and then we will report (the outcome of the sub-committee) in the next meeting,” he said in a press conference after chairing the meeting today.
He added that the Philippines will take charge of Coastal and Marine Environment sub-committee; Laos will chair Water Resources; Cambodia on Environment and Sustainable Cities; Singapore and Thailand will co-chair Climate Change; and Vietnam will oversee Environmental Education and Sustainable Consumption.
Commenting further on the outcome of today’s meeting, Johari said the reports provided by current Asean Environment committees show good progress on environmental issues in the region.
“We received good reports from respective chairman on the sub-committee, such as the haze and pollution issues.
“Everyone has given their opinion and it is all under control, Asean is now under control, there is nothing to panic about.
“All is well structured and I think this Asean collaboration in all aspects of environment is very important for the group to move forward,” he said.
When asked if the plan for a haze-free Asean by 2030 could be expedited, he said each country has to play a major role and not rely solely on the chair.
“What we need to do is to share the experience we have within the member states, so we can learn from what they have experienced and also share technology (that we have).”
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