Today, ASEAN Secretariat conducted an online workshop on Circular Economy. The workshop gathered relevant sectoral bodies to discuss the draft Framework for Circular Economy for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which is one of the priority economic deliverables for Brunei Darussalam’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year.
The development of the Framework is supported by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
ASEAN recognises that Circular Economy is crucial in attaining the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 of a “vibrant, sustainable, and highly integrated economies”. The circular ‘reuse-reduce-recycle’ approach promotes a more efficient use of resources, thereby contributing to ASEAN Member States’ commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change and the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
Satvinder Singh, Deputy-Secretary General for AEC, in his opening remarks stressed the “need to act with greater urgency and coordination, as well as a sense of collective purpose”.
The support of stakeholders, particularly Dialogue Partners and the private sector, will be crucial to the achievement of ASEAN agenda towards 2025 and beyond.
