A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan attends the 17th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment. (Photo: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) – Environment officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Lao capital Vientiane on August 23 to discuss some environment-related issues and enhance cooperation in solving transboundary haze pollution.
A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan attended two events, namely the 17th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment (AMME 17) and the 18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (COM-18).
At the meetings, ASEAN ministers and heads of delegations reviewed the effectiveness of environmental cooperation framework, focussing on climate change, chemicals and waste, biological diversity and fostering collaboration for environmental friendly and sustainable development. They also proposed solutions and key orientations for ASEAN’s increasingly practical and effective activities, contributing to achieving sustainable environmental goals within the framework of the 2025 ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint and Community Vision and realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The meetings reaffirmed the commitment of member states to the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris and ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP).
Participants reiterated the importance of taking strong action to raise alert and fire prevention measures to minimise forest fires as well as the occurrence of cross-border haze in case of prolonged dry season.
The meetings agreed that the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution will be held in Thailand in 2024 and the 18th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment in Malaysia in 2025./.
