GMS strengthens cooperation on environmental and climate investment

The regional consultation workshop on the GMS Environmental Investment Framework - covering the six cooperating countries of Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and China - was held to advance environmental collaboration across the subregion.

The event was co-organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the GMS Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Program (CCESP), and co-chaired by the Institute of Strategy, Policy on Agriculture and Environment (ISPAE) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam.

The workshop gathered representatives from ministries and agencies of the six GMS countries, along with international organizations and experts, to discuss investment solutions for environment and climate towards sustainable development.

In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Tho, Deputy Director-General of the Institute of Strategy, Policy on Agriculture and Environment, emphasized that this is a critical time as the Mekong region faces serious challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, and unsustainable resource exploitation. “These challenges are no longer distant risks; they are already real, impacting landscapes, livelihoods, and the shared prosperity of the region,” he said.

According to Mr. Tho, the Greater Mekong subregion, stretching from upstream to delta, from mountains to the sea, is rich in natural resources but under mounting pressure. Therefore, the GMS 2030 Strategy for Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability serves as a “compass” guiding countries from isolated efforts toward integrated, transboundary cooperation.

“This workshop is not merely a list of projects but a common roadmap to build a positive future with nature,” Mr. Tho stressed. Viet Nam, he said, is committed to close cooperation with GMS partners to ensure the health of the Mekong River and the Gulf of Thailand ecosystems, turning fragmented proposals into feasible and impactful investments.

Mr. Sumit Pokhrel, Senior Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist at ADB, highlighted that the GMS has the potential to become a regional leader in climate adaptation and nature-positive investment, especially as the world prepares for COP30.

He noted that the GMS 2030 Strategic Framework, endorsed in 2024 and building on nearly two decades of cooperation, aims for a sustainable, resilient, and nature-harmonious GMS that contributes to achieving countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on climate.

The strategy focuses on four thematic areas: (1) enhancing climate and disaster resilience; (2) promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy; (3) advancing a circular and pollution-controlled green economy; (4) implementing nature-based solutions for biodiversity and livelihood conservation. ADB aims to mobilize over USD 500 million in investment by 2030 through policy dialogue, knowledge sharing, project preparation and monitoring and evaluation. “This workshop is not just about ideas, it’s about concrete action for the GMS to become a global model of climate-resilient and nature-positive development,” Mr. Pokhrel emphasized.

Mr. Kewal Thapar, representative of the GMS CCESP Secretariat, stated that the Mekong region is both a “biodiversity hotspot” and one of the most vulnerable areas in the world, with the risk of losing up to 11% of GDP by the end of the century if urgent action is not taken. The CCESP is currently advancing three main pillars: (1) identifying investment priorities among countries; (2) mobilizing flexible financing from both public and private sectors; (3) sharing knowledge and strengthening policy frameworks.

He added that the program has implemented 12 community resilience projects, two demonstration projects on green transport and low-carbon agriculture, and several cross-border pollution control initiatives. In its new phase, CCESP will shift from isolated activities to an integrated landscape and seascape approach, forming regional initiatives with high impact, improved capital mobilization, and more efficient investment outcomes.

A number of integrated regional initiatives are being proposed, including: the Upper Mekong River Landscape (China - Lao PDR); the Transboundary Forests Initiative (Thailand - Lao PDR); the Gulf of Thailand Marine Ecological Initiative (Thailand - Cambodia - Vietnam); the “Mekong Blue” initiative to restore rivers and lakes in the Lower Mekong. These initiatives focus on forest conservation, fire and pollution management, smart agriculture, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass, and ecotourism, aiming for a nature-positive development model and stronger community livelihoods.

At the end of the first day, delegates agreed that updating the Regional Investment Framework (RIF) 2025 is an opportunity to strengthen alignment between national priorities and regional cooperation, shaping a feasible investment portfolio to be presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE-AM29) later this year.

The workshop is expected to help promote transformative environmental and climate projects, mobilize large-scale green finance, and move towards a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient Greater Mekong Subregion, where people and nature thrive together.

On November 5, the workshop will continue with the second technical session, focusing on integrating investment proposals by ecosystem type, including landscapes, rivers, and coastal areas, and identifying project preparation needs, financing mechanisms, and opportunities for regional cooperation.