Climate and environmental groups across Southeast Asia are urgently calling on ASEAN to prioritize and take immediate, decisive action on the record-breaking climate and biodiversity crises confronting the region.
The demand comes as the 47th ASEAN Summit concluded yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, and the Philippines takes over as Chair. While the ASEAN Vision 2045, aiming for a resilient, innovative, and people-centered community, has been finalized, civil society emphasizes that the vision risks failure without decisive action on climate, biodiversity, and energy, along with genuine participation from civil society and local communities.
“In Southeast Asia, governments are still hooked on the use of fossil fuels. While there is widespread agreement that we have to transition away from fossil fuels, they talk about fossil gas as a transition fuel and adopting dangerous distractions, which is very unfortunate because we are in a renewable-rich region,” said Nithi Nesadurai, Director and Regional Coordinator of Climate Action Network Southeast Asia (CANSEA).
The continued fossil fuel expansion in Southeast Asia, particularly of fossil gas projects at 136 GW, will not only exacerbate the climate crisis but also directly impact marine biodiversity areas. For instance, in the Coral Triangle, oil and gas blocks overlap with 24% of coral habitats, 22% of seagrass habitats, and 37% of mangrove habitats, which then puts at risk the source of food and livelihoods of coastal communities and beyond.
“We are very concerned with the fossil gas expansion happening in the Coral Triangle, particularly in the Verde Island Passage. Are we really serious about the sustainability ambition? Protecting the Verde Island Passage is non-negotiable, because what is at stake are the lives and livelihoods of millions of communities,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, Lead Convenor of Protect Verde Island Passage (Protect VIP).
As the baton passes from Malaysia to the Philippines, civil society groups underscore the non-negotiable requirement for inclusion.
“If we want to solve these issues, we need public participation, enforcement, and accountability. ASEAN can set an ambitious sustainability and rights agenda; however, progress stalls when implementation remains voluntary and civil society engagement is constrained,” said Heng Kiah Chun, Campaign Lead of Greenpeace Malaysia.
In a final call for an equitable and just transition, Gerry Arances, Lead Convenor of Energy Shift Southeast Asia, concluded: “If governments and corporations continue with business-as-usual, it is incumbent upon the peoples of the world, especially in Southeast Asia, to band together to protect our home. We will raise it to our respective governments, and towards COP30 and ASEAN Philippines Chairship 2026.”