National and regional civil society organizations (CSOs) and women’s groups convene in “Regional CSO Dialogue for an Inclusive and Just Transition in Southeast Asia,” held on 27 April 2026 in Taguig City.

TAGUIG, Philippines | 27 April 2026 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) underscored the vital role of coherence and coordination in the recently held Regional CSO Dialogue for an Inclusive and Just Transition in Southeast Asia, in line with the priorities of the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship 2026.

Speaking at the dialogue, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje emphasized that climate ambition must translate into outcomes that work under real-world conditions across diverse systems and capacities in the region.

He noted that climate risks across ASEAN are increasingly interconnected and systemic, requiring coordinated, whole-of-society approaches. He stressed that the transition being pursued goes beyond sustainability, with implications for resilience, energy security, and long-term competitiveness.

“A just transition cannot remain a principle, it has to become a discipline,” Borje said, highlighting the need to ground policies in how economies function, how communities live, and how systems respond under stress.

He pointed out that while ASEAN has multiple platforms on climate change, disaster resilience, and energy cooperation, the challenge now is ensuring these deliver better data, improved access to finance, and stronger implementation on the ground.

Borje underscored that policies are strengthened when informed by the needs and experiences of communities, emphasizing the critical role of CSOs in shaping inclusive and responsive climate action.

The dialogue, which was organized by the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund through the ALAM (Advancing Learning and capacities in the ASEAN on Mitigation: Financing a Just and Nature-Positive Energy Transition) Project, gathered over 30 national and regional CSOs and women’s organisations working on climate change and just transition to exchange knowledge, experiences, and good practices on accessing climate finance and implementing just transition initiatives.

As the Philippines chairs ASEAN in 2026, Borje said the country is advancing a climate agenda that is science-based, people-centered, and action-oriented, with a focus on strengthening enabling conditions for implementation, particularly in aligning data, finance, and systems across sectors.

The CCC, under the guidance of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., reaffirmed the importance of sustained partnerships among governments, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to translate regional commitments into concrete outcomes, especially for vulnerable communities.

The regional dialogue contributes to ongoing efforts to inform the ASEAN Joint Statement on Climate Change and strengthen collaboration on climate finance and just transition pathways across Southeast Asia.