Finding a new approach to water security in Southeast Asia
By Angelo Paolo L. Trias
Southeast Asian governments are aware of the intersecting challenges of water security and disaster governance. The importance member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations place on this dual imperative is reflected in the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together and the Building Resilience for Sustainable ASEAN from Water-Related Disasters Project.
However, the frameworks and activities of these two domains for dealing with water – too little, too much or polluted – are still not as integrated as they should be. How can ASEAN member states enhance their capacity to safeguard adequate access to clean, potable water and mitigate water-related disaster impacts together?
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Social marginalisation, politicised commodification, environmental racism and unregulated privatisation undermine measures to secure water. Diverse and inclusive disaster governance crowd-sourcing networks can be effective platforms for multi-stakeholder cooperation.
Implementing these initiatives under AADMER will help ensure that collective efforts to secure water and build resilience in ASEAN will continuously receive funds, direction and support.
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