By Windi Arini, RWI, and Syaharani, ICEL – The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) and the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) hosted a COP29 side event on 14 November 2024. The side event focused on the ASEAN Environmental Rights Declaration, which embodies the political commitment of ASEAN member states to advancing regional climate action and to protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs).
The event brought together ASEAN member state representatives, civil society, legal experts, and Indigenous leaders to discuss the role of the declaration in addressing regional climate challenges and mobilizing support for vulnerable populations. Speakers emphasized the critical need to protect Indigenous communities and EHRDs on the front lines of environmental stewardship and advocacy in Southeast Asia. By integrating both procedural rights (such as access to information, participation, and justice) and substantive rights (the right to a safe and stable climate), the ASEAN Environmental Rights Declaration has the potential to strengthen regional governance and align ASEAN’s climate actions more closely with the Paris Agreement goals.
The discussion underscored the importance of ensuring that the declaration supports climate mitigation and adaptation strategies and implementation that uphold the rights and participation of those most affected by climate change. The speakers also reiterate the potential of the declaration to foster regional-national governance in responding to climate change. Furthermore, the discussion also stressed the need for the inclusion of business and human rights provisions in the draft declaration.
A representative from the ASEAN Youth Forum provided valuable insights into the process of developing the draft declaration, emphasizing the several challenges and limitations in the current draft. During the panel discussion, an audience member inquired about strategies to persuade ASEAN Member States to enhance the current draft declaration. The panel recommended sustained advocacy, focusing on building strong relationships with each AICHR Representative. This approach involves persistent dialogue and mobilizing support from civil society organizations to apply consistent pressure for improvements.
The event concluded with a call to action for ASEAN member states to urgently address the climate crisis by ensuring the declaration’s effective implementation. This includes adopting inclusive, rights-based approaches to environmental governance and fostering collaboration with civil society, and Indigenous groups to advance rights-based climate action across the ASEAN region.
This side event reinforced the vital role of human rights, gender equality, and inclusive participation in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and charting a path for a more sustainable future for Southeast Asia.
A post-event interview with H.E. Edmund Bon Tai Soon, Chair and Representative of Malaysia to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), conducted by RWI and ICEL, is available for viewing here.