The Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources in Southeast Asia: Issues and Challenges‪.‬

The environment, climate change and the management of natural resources have been taking centre stage with policy-makers and governments in Southeast Asia. It is now recognized that environmental degradation cannot continue unabated over the long term. It is already affecting countries, their economies and communities. Economic and social well-being will depend on how well environmental resources are managed. Concern for the environment was well documented in the Third ASEAN State of the Environment Report 2006: Towards an Environmentally Sustainable Community (SOE 2006). (1) In this report, ASEAN leaders stressed that the resources used to fuel economic growth have to be utilized in a sustainable manner, in order to ensure that prosperity in the region will be durable. ASEAN leaders have also acknowledged that sustainable development, with a dynamic and mutually supportive balance between economic growth, social equity and environmental integrity are to be the guiding principle to establish the ASEAN Community.