ASEAN Cooperation on Global Environmental Issues

ASEAN Facts and Figures

Participation in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (ratified or acceded)ASEAN Member States
Vienna Convention100%
Montreal Protocol100%
Kyoto Protocol100%
Convention on Biological Diversity100%
Stockholm Convention100%
Cartagena Protocol100%
Basel Convention100%
Ramsar Convention100%
Rotterdam Convention100%

  1. ASEAN continues to be actively engaged in addressing global environmental issues in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. AMS have shown full commitment to major multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) with 100 percent ratification, while the more recent MEAs have high rates of ratification.
  2. AMS have already met their commitments to most of the relevant conventions. For example, all AMS have significantly reduced the use of ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons to less than 1,000 tonnes per year since 2006 from as high as 9,000 tonnes in 1995. Many AMS are also several years ahead of internationally agreed deadlines to end the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. In terms of carbon dioxide emissions, the region has much lower emission rates than Europe, North America, and Middle East and North Africa.
  3. Most AMS have set up high-level institutional frameworks and developed strategies/action plans to fulfil their obligations towards addressing climate change. As of September 2009, 170 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in AMS have been registered with the CDM Executive Board.
  4. Regional cooperation among AMS in promoting capacity building, sharing experiences and best practices, and acting collectively to implement the MEAs have helped AMS to build confidence and synergise their efforts to contribute effectively to addressing global environmental issues. These activities are carried out under the purview of the ASEAN Working Group on Multilateral Environmental Agreements.


  1. The activities of AWGMEA are guided by the ASCC Blueprint in the ASEAN Roadmap towards an ASEAN Community (2009 ? 2015).
  2. To intensify its work, the AWGMEA in 2006 formed two technical clusters, i.e. the Atmosphere Cluster and the Chemical Cluster. The Clusters serve as the platform for the AMS to discuss further and exchange views on technical matters and to provide recommendations as necessary to the AWGMEA.