Environment and sustainable development issues have climbed to the top of the international agenda in recent years, given the need to change the global system in order to tackle the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, increasing scarcity of natural resources, hazardous waste management and growing urbanisation. To achieve sustainable change, it is necessary to strengthen information exchange and create a platform for discussion of important topics among different stakeholders from civil society, the academia, business and the governments.

Recognising the importance of Asia-Europe co-operation in these areas, ASEF has prioritised work on the theme “Environment and Sustainable Development”. ASEF has initiated several programmes and platforms for dialogue between various stakeholders in Asia and Europe, providing a forum where different voices and ideas could be heard and exchanged.  These diverse programmes tackle various issues from a scientific, social or cultural perspective, and often result in innovative policy recommendations for decision makers in both regions.

For more information about ASEF's activities in this area, please contact us, or click on one of our related programmes.

ASEF has initiated several programmes to provide a forum for discussion of global challenges of climate change and other environmental issues under its Environment and Sustainable Development theme, one of which occurs at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark.  For further information, please see brochure.