Group calls on Asean to take more decisive action on climate change

By Michael Punongbayan (The Philippine Star) Updated November 01, 2010

MANILA, Philippines - The Coalition on ASEAN for a Fair, Ambitious and Binding Climate Deal (A-FAB), composed of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Greenpeace and Oxfam, called on ASEAN leaders

to show their commitment in dealing with the problem of climate change by taking more decisive action and a stronger position in the coming climate talks in Cancun, Mexico.

The A-FAB Coalition issued the statement after participating in the ASEAN Pre-Summit Briefing organized by the ASEAN secretariat and Vietnam in cooperation with World Bank and Global Learning Centre.

During the Pre-Summit Briefing, coalition representatives asked ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan how ASEAN can protect its economic development goals in the region from the impact of climate change. It also inquired on the role the regional formation intends to play in the coming UNFCCC negotiations in Cancun.

“Time is of the essence and ASEAN as a bloc needs to act decisively on climate change. As ASEAN Secretary- General, Dr. Surin can facilitate the move for ASEAN member states to come together and decide on specific plan of action for the climate talks,” explained WWF-Philippines Climate and Energy Programme head Gia Ibay.

“Dr. Surin’s response that climate change is high on ASEAN’s agenda is most welcome, coming as it did from no less than the secretary-general,” said Shalimar Vitan of Oxfam International.

“We have to emphasize, however, that this statement will have little meaning unless ASEAN comes out with concrete plans of how it intends to address the crisis, which affects 563 million people in the region.”

Zelda Soriano of Greenpeace said a critical part of this is ASEAN’s participation in the UNFCCC climate talks.

“Here ASEAN needs to strengthen its engagement by negotiating as a solid bloc. It must also prove its relevance by substantiating its positions and agreeing on a clear agenda for the negotiations,” she said.

The A-FAB Coalition asserts that with the advent of the new ASEAN Charter, the regional grouping is actually in a stronger negotiating position if it can get its act together in time.

“The Charter is a legally-binding document which transformed ASEAN from a loose organization into a rules-based body and provides a clear legal framework for incorporating ASEAN decisions into the national legislation and policy of member countries,” Soriano said.

The A-FAB Coalition also stressed that ASEAN governments have already created their own regional platform called the ASEAN Climate Change Initiative (ACCI) to address the particular vulnerability of the region to climate change; and to advance the region’s common interests and priorities in future deals and negotiations.

“It is no longer enough for ASEAN governments to issue vague motherhood statements and do little else. ASEAN now has the legal obligation to deliver on its commitments,” Soriano said.