Jakarta, 27 June 2023 (TDI): The EU-supported ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform was inaugurated today, expediting ASEAN’s circular economy process.
The event marks another milestone in EU-ASEAN green partnership and brings ASEAN one step closer to realizing its sustainable development goal.
The programme was launched by ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD) and the European Union (EU) along with ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Satvinder Singh and the European Commission Director General for Environment, Florika Fink-Hooijer.
Moreover, DSG Singh and DG Fink-Hooijer held separate discussions with the EU Ambassador to ASEAN, Igor Driesmans, where they compared notes on experiences regarding the green and circular economy as well as exploring new avenues for forging ASEAN-EU relations.
ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform
As part of the EU-ASEAN partnership on the circular economy, the ASEAN CE Platform facilitates sustainable consumption and production among ASEAN member states.
Being the centre for consumption and production, ASEAN was facing a rapid rise in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which was an alarming situation amid global climate change concerns. Therefore, it adopted Circular Economy Framework in 2021.
A circular economy is crucial for South East Asian nations considering their rising consumption rate, which is resulting in a depletion of natural resources and a strain on the region’s sustainable development.
A circular economy is based on the principles of reuse and regeneration, where a product is consumed and placed in a circular system where it can be reused, thus reducing waste.
Therefore, this economic model addresses climate change, pollution, waste, loss of biodiversity, and other related issues, along with promoting renewable energy resources.
Also Read: EU-ASEAN Summit Builds Economic Ties
The ASEAN and EU launched the CE Stakeholder Platform Secretariat last September in Bangkok, Thailand, and this year they successfully inaugurated the platform.
Such a platform will not only strengthen the EU-ASEAN partnership but also help them achieve their collective goal of implementing SDG12 on Sustainable Consumption and Production.
