LANGKAWI: Malaysia will chair two of the seven Asean sub-committees on environmental issues in Asean, says Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The Plantations and Commodities Minister said that this was decided at the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (COP20) held on the sidelines of the 18th Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME-18).
Johari said this to the media on Wednesday (Sept 3) after chairing COP-20 in his capacity as the acting Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister.
“Malaysia will chair the sub-committees on nature, conservation and biodiversity as well as the sub-committee on chemicals and waste.
“The Philippines will be chairing the sub-committee on coastal and environment, water resources by Laos, and environmental and sustainable cities Cambodia
“Singapore and Thailand will jointly head the sub-committee on climate change Singapore and Thailand. Vietnam will head the sub-committee on environmental education and sustainable consumption,” said Johari.
The meeting, attended by 12 Asean environment ministers, also endorsed the Asean Joint Statement on Climate Change to the 30th Session of the COP to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCC COP30) for consideration of the 47th Asean Summit to be held in October.
“The meeting also looked forward to the convening of the first Asean Pavilion at the UNFCCC COP30 in November 2025, in Belém, Brazil, which will serve as a powerful demonstration of Asean’s unwavering commitment to taking meaningful action on climate change.
“We also approved the designation of six new Asean Heritage Parks, namely Tengku Hassanal Wildlife Reserve, Bako National Park and Lambir Hills National Park of Malaysia; Pu Mat National Park, Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve and Xuan Thuy National Park of Viet Nam,” said Johari.
He further stated that based on the South-East Asia Fire Danger Rating System (SEA-FDRS) assessment, there is a risk of escalating hotspot activity which may contribute to transboundary haze should limited rainfall persist in the coming weeks.
“This situation may extend into September as the region continues to experience dry season conditions,” said Johari.
He said Asean environment groups have agreed to cooperate with Japan, China, the Republic of Korea and European Union on climate change and other environment initiatives.
The Asean environment ministers are set to meet in Vietnam in 2026 for the next COP on transboundary haze and in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar in 2027, for the 19th Asean ministerial meeting.
