VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia's active role in efforts to address environmental issues at the ASEAN level can be seen from the statement of Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar, represented by the Head of Research and Development Agency and Innovation of the Ministry Agus Justianto at the 15th ASEAN Ministrial Meeting of Environment –AMME at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Agus Justianto conveyed the statement of the Minister of Environment and Forestry, that how important environmental issues in the ASEAN region are and the need for collaborative strategic steps to anticipate environmental problems in the region. The official statement also mentioned the corrective actions taken by the Indonesian Government through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to improve the quality of the environment in Indonesia.

The 15th Ministrial Meeting of Environment, which took place from October 7-11, discussed various environmental problems in the ASEAN region and discussed regional cooperation to anticipate the existing environmental problems. The discussion includes climate change, environmentally friendly city development, biodiversity conservation, clean coastal and marine environment, environmental education for young people, water resources management, chemical and hazardous waste management, control of cross-border haze pollution, and environmentally friendly schools.

There are three important matters discussed in the 15th Environment Ministrial Meeting. The matters are the adoption of a joint statement by ASEAN member countries on climate change which will be presented at the conference of parties to the framework of the United Nations climate change convention (COP 25 - UNFCCC) in Chile in December 2019. Then the draft of ASEAN Strategic Plan on Environment, ASPEN, and the establishment of five National Parks in Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam as ASEAN Heritage Parks.

The 15th Environment Ministrial Meeting was opened by Vice Prime Minister concurrently Minister of Economy and Finance of Cambodia Akka Pundit Sapheacha Aun Pommoniroth, at Sofitel Utama, Cambodia followed by tree planting event at Angkor Wat tourism area.

During the meeting an evaluation of the work of the ASEAN Working Group (AWG) in the field of environment was also carried out and other proposed activities in the relevant environmental field to anticipating environmental problems in the ASEAN region. According to the agenda, the 16th Environment Ministrial Meeting will be held in Indonesia in 2021. Indonesia hopes that environmental issues will be better in the next two years and ASEAN member countries can more focus on the environmental issues anticipation.