Joint Press Statement on the first ASEAN-EU Ministerial Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change

Joint Press Statement on the first ASEAN-EU Ministerial Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change

ASEAN and the EU welcomed the first ASEAN-EU Ministerial Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change which took place on 4th September 2025 in Langkawi, Malaysia. The EU expressed gratitude to the Malaysian ASEAN Chairmanship for supporting the organisation of such Dialogue that was co-chaired on the ASEAN side by the Minister of Plantation & Commodities and Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Malaysia Mr Johari Abdul Ghani and on the EU side by Commissioner for Climate Action Net Zero and Clean Growth Mr Wopke Hoekstra and Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Ms Jessika Roswall.

In the current geopolitical context, ASEAN and the EU are closer than ever: the Ministerial Dialogue confirmed the shared aim to strengthen their partnership and commitment also to the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

The EU and ASEAN expressed profound concern regarding the continuing rise in global greenhouse gas emissions and its consequence of escalating climate risks and impacts, and recognised the urgency of acting to address the triple planetary crisis.

Both Sides reaffirmed their dedication to the Paris Agreement and the importance of international partnerships to support ambitious implementation of its goals. The EU and ASEAN Member states reiterated the commitment to a successful 30th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) and to submit ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of COP 30, in alignment with the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake.

The EU and ASEAN reaffirmed the need to globally engage in deep, rapid and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 towards reaching net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 in alignment with the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.

The EU and ASEAN agreed that the green transition has a clear economic and societal potential as it can promote growth, job creation, health and energy security. Both Sides can benefit from a strengthened cooperation on the green transition.

In this context, both Sides recognised the importance of decarbonising the energy and industrial sector and continue to cooperate towards an accelerated deployment of renewables and the transition away from fossil fuels, including by strengthening transmission grid and storage capacity, fostering an integrated energy system and market, and cooperating to develop low-carbon solutions such as hydrogen and CCS for hard-to-abate sectors.

Both sides welcomed cooperation to promote demand creation, create lead markets and build resilient and reliable supply chains for net-zero products and technologies, by exchanging on supporting policies and measures, financing, R&D and dedicated activities targeting relevant industries.

The EU and ASEAN considered carbon pricing, when implemented with socio-economic considerations in mind, as a cost-effective policy instrument to foster decarbonisation and NDC implementation. They agreed to advance their cooperation on this matter, including through technical exchanges and capacity building both at bilateral and regional level.

Climate change impacts affect both Sides with clear repercussion on people’s livelihood and wellbeing in both regions. The EU is warming twice as fast than global average. ASEAN is heavily impacted by sea level rise, coastal inundation, extreme precipitation events and floods, heat stress, typhoons, and droughts.

The EU and ASEAN recognised the need to engage in urgent, incremental, and transformational adaptation action to withstand the impacts of a warming climate. Both Sides confirmed the intention to cooperate in reinforcing resilience, including by strengthening adaptation governance, including climate risk assessments, planning and monitoring.

The EU and ASEAN reaffirmed the critical importance of enhancing cooperation to tackle the interconnected environmental challenges of our time. They stressed the urgent need to protect and restore biodiversity, ensure the sustainable use of natural resources, and accelerate the transition to a circular and bio-based economy. In this regard, both sides highlighted their commitment to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and welcomed continued collaboration.

Both sides recognised that the shift towards a circular economy is essential to reducing environmental pressures, securing long-term economic resilience, and creating new opportunities for innovation and sustainable growth. The EU and ASEAN committed to keep working together on knowledge exchange, policy cooperation, and capacity-building to support circularity across sectors. Both sides agreed to work together to ensure the smooth implementation of environmental standards.

Tackling plastic pollution was reaffirmed as a shared priority. The EU and ASEAN reiterated their support for an ambitious, legally binding global agreement to end plastic pollution, to be concluded under the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. Both sides agreed to advance joint efforts in promoting sustainable production and consumption of plastics, promoting environmentally sound waste management, and promoting sustainable design of products and materials.

Recognising the vital role of forests and water resources for climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable development, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation to support sustainable forest management, and promote the conservation and restoration of freshwater ecosystems. They acknowledged the need to jointly address the drivers of deforestation, including through sustainable trade, supply chains, and land use planning.

The EU and ASEAN also committed to deepen collaboration on the bioeconomy as a means to reconcile economic development with environmental sustainability. Both sides acknowledged the potential of sustainable bio-based solutions to support rural development, create jobs, and increase access to renewable and sustainable energy resources while safeguarding ecosystems.

Ahead of the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), both sides pledged to continue working together to promote ambitious multilateral environmental action and to strengthen the global environmental governance architecture.

The EU and ASEAN recognised that, with growing economic power and political influence, ASEAN can be a key player in the climate and environmental agenda and an important partner for the EU. ASEAN and the EU can demonstrate that growth can go hand in hand with decarbonisation and with the protection of natural resources.

Both Sides recognised that climate and environment agendas can be a positive area in their cooperation, and they confirmed their engagement to strengthen their partnership on these matters. Both Sides proposed to have the next Ministerial Dialogue on Climate and Environment in 2027.