ASEAN to finalize ASEAN Strategic Plan on Environment

From 10 to 12 March 2026, in Manila, Philippines, the second regional consultation on the development of the ASEAN Strategic Plan on Environment for 2026-2035 (ASPEN) was held under the chairmanship of the Philippines, Chair of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN) meeting. The conference was co-organized by the Australia for ASEAN Futures Initiative (Aus4ASEAN Futures) and The Asia Foundation, in coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat.

The meeting brought together representatives from ASEAN member states, chairpersons of ASOEN sectoral working groups, representatives from the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the ASEAN Climate Change Centre (ACCC), the ASEAN Secretariat, as well as development partners, international organizations, the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations. Vietnam was represented in person by officials from the International Cooperation Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment).

ASPEN is a strategic document that succeeds the ASEAN Strategic Plan on Environment 2016-2025, aiming to guide ASEAN environmental cooperation in the next phase, in line with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. The plan is expected to serve as a framework for ASEAN’s common policies, programs, and actions to promote sustainable environmental management in the region.

Strategic environmental direction for ASEAN’s next phase

As Southeast Asia faces increasingly pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution, ASPEN is being developed to provide an overarching strategic framework to guide ASEAN’s environmental cooperation for the 2026-2035 period.

According to the draft currently under discussion, ASPEN aims to achieve three main strategic objectives: promoting climate-resilient development, building a nature-positive ASEAN, and improving environmental quality.

These three objectives correspond to the three global environmental challenges identified by ASEAN as the foundation for ASPEN’s strategic structure: climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution.

Delegates also discussed five strategic priorities of ASPEN: nature and biodiversity conservation; protection of coastal and marine ecosystems; climate change response; pollution prevention and promotion of the circular economy; and strengthening environmental information, education, and communication.

On the first day of the meeting, participants reviewed the ASPEN draft outline, including its strategic objectives and priorities, key focus areas, and major intervention measures. Delegates also discussed implementation milestones, governance and coordination mechanisms, and resource mobilization to support the plan’s implementation across the region.

Strengthening stakeholder consultations

The second day of the conference was devoted to stakeholder consultations, bringing together ASEAN bodies, development partners, the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations.

The consultation session focused on gathering stakeholders’ expectations for ASPEN, as well as how the plan could support cross-sectoral cooperation programs within ASEAN. Participants also discussed the roles of various stakeholders in the plan’s implementation, coordination mechanisms, and opportunities for resource mobilization.

Breakout discussions were organized around each strategic priority to identify cooperation opportunities, strengthen linkages across sectors, and enhance partner engagement in implementing ASEAN’s environmental objectives.

Another key agenda item was a session on strengthening partnerships, during which delegates discussed coordination mechanisms among the pillars of the ASEAN Community, cooperation with dialogue partners, and the participation of the private sector and civil society organizations.

Finalizing the ASEAN Strategic Plan on Environment 2026 - 2035

On the final day of the meeting, delegates will review and consolidate feedback gathered during the consultation sessions while discussing ways to integrate these recommendations into the ASPEN draft.

The conference will also discuss the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework to strengthen monitoring and assessment effectiveness and support decision-making in implementing environmental cooperation programs across the region. The ASPEN consists of action plans for the following seven agreed strategic priorities with selected programmes, outputs, and activities based on existing cooperation, emerging needs of ASEAN Member States, and commitments to address relevant issues in the global agenda.

At the close of the meeting, participants are expected to agree on a roadmap for developing subsequent drafts of ASPEN and outline the next steps in finalizing this strategic document. The ASEAN Strategic Plan on Environment for 2026-2035 is expected to enhance regional policy coordination on environmental issues, promote cross-sectoral cooperation, and strengthen ASEAN’s capacity to respond to environmental challenges in the next stage of development.