ASEAN Academic Networking in Water, Disaster Management and Climate Change – Bangkok Statement

We, Faculty Members / Researchers / Planners from the ASEAN working for water / environment / disaster management from the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Member States of ASEAN, on this occasion of the THA 2015 “Climate Change and Water & Environment Management in Monsoon Asia” and ASEAN Academic Networking in Water, Disaster Management and Climate Change; Resulting from an intensive and interactive process, the participants: 1. Emphasized developing joint research initiatives in areas identified as common concerns for members of ASEAN; 2. Declared their firm intention to work together to enhance the visibility and outreach of academic networking on water, disaster management and climate change issues in ASEAN Member States through a dedicated web site to contribute dissemination of national/regional news and reports; 3. Committed themselves as members of the academic network to convince their governments and policy makers to prioritize water resources related disaster management in the vent of climate change This may include contacting their planners and policy makers to secure possible funding from governments and other bilateral funding sources for pilot research with in their countries; 4. Emphasized an urgent need for an improved communication and exchange of research findings between and amongst the member states within ASEAN Countries, Chulalongkorn University has been requested to establish a communication mechanism that is efficient, frequent and dynamic. This may include an e-newsletter, and an e-discussion group; 5. Underlined the urgent need for ASEAN Secretariat and UNESCO Bangkok and other Offices in the regions to draw-up mechanisms for effective coordination as per the MoU Signed during Dec 2013; 6. Called upon UNESCO to allocate sufficient seed resources, and to assist this academic network to generate additional resources for their activities; 7. Extended special thanks and appreciation to our host " Chulalongkorn University", for the opportunity provided to attend and benefit from the International Conference on Climate Change and Water & Environment Management in Monsoon Asia and organising ASEAN Academic Networking in Water, Disaster Management and Climate Change along with this conference; 8. Appreciated the efforts of Chulalongkorn University initiating this academic network for linking national level research findings to regional level inferences; 9. Requested Chulalongkorn University to support this ASEAN Academic Network and may convert the same into UNITWIN Network under UNESCO Chair proposed by them 10. Welcomed all the member countries from ASEAN to work together to bring regional integration of research results in to policy to handle water related disasters created by climate change. Suggested upon formalising this network could induct members from other developing countries outside ASEAN in future.
Coordinators from ASEAN Institutions: