How ASEAN Tackles Growing Climate Disaster Risks

Southeast Asian nations are collaborating to enhance their response to the escalating risks posed by natural disasters and climate change, according to the ASEAN Foundation Executive Director, Piti Srisangnam. The region, particularly vulnerable to global warming and its associated perils, faced over 700 reported disasters in 2022, affecting around four million individuals, Srisangnam informed during the 2026 Model ASEAN-Korea Summit in Jakarta.

Among the most common disruptions are floods, landslides, typhoons, and earthquakes, underscoring the tangible effects of climate change on people's lives and livelihoods.

Srisangnam highlighted ASEAN's commitment to bolstering emergency logistics systems, exemplified by the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA), which prepositions supplies in strategic locations for rapid aid delivery during crises. The bloc also conducts regular emergency simulations and invests in training programs to strengthen the skills of disaster management professionals across member states.

These initiatives are supported by broader ASEAN policy frameworks, such as the ASEAN-UN Joint Strategic Action Plan on Disaster Management 2021-2025.

Deputy Secretary-General for Community and Corporate Affairs Nararya Sanggramawijaya Soeprapto echoed Srisangnam's remarks, noting that while predicting climate patterns was once simpler, the current situation in Indonesia is more unpredictable, likening it to a mixed Thai salad (gado-gado). The collective efforts aim to fortify resilience and sustainability in the region, transforming climate change and disaster risks from abstract policy debates into actionable strategies for safeguarding lives and communities.