The Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
or ASEAN,
was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing
of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers
of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam
on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on
30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.
Fundamental Principles
In their relations with one another, the ASEAN Member States have adopted
the following fundamental principles, as contained in the Treaty of
Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of 1976:
Mutual respect for
the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and
national identity of all nations;
The right of every State
to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion
or coercion;
Non-interference in
the internal affairs of one another;
Settlement of differences
or disputes by peaceful manner;
Renunciation of the
threat or use of force; and
Effective cooperation
among themselves.
Quotes
Sohail
Inayatullah: "While
focusing on what works is important, I would like to begin with a discussion
on what has not worked, with the intent to learn from failures. What
does not work often has more energy it certainly
affords a greater opportunity to learn."
Anthony
Bourdain:
"I always entertain the notion that I'm wrong, or that I'll have
to revise my opinion. Most of the time that feels good; sometimes it
really hurts and is embarrassing."
Auroville:
"Today Auroville has come a long way in terms of water management.
Beyond the largely successful reforestation of the area, major work
in erosion control via check dams, rainwater harvesting via bunds and
de-silting irrigation tanks, waste water treatment plants within individual
communities, appropriate building technologies, emphasis on renewable
energies, community awareness, and data gathering have all been areas
of strength.
Despite the strides we
have taken, there is still a long way to go given the challenges that
face us today."
Lead Article:
Chairing
ASEAN: what does it mean for Indonesia in 2023? by Muhammad
Rifqi Daneswara, Indonesian Institute of Advanced International Studies
(INADIS)
Muhammad Rifqi Daneswara
Despite many obstacles and challenges,
including the Russia-Ukraine war and global recession, host nation Indonesia
managed to ensure that the high-level conference held in Bali on November
15-16 2022 produced a joint declaration, known as the G20
Bali Leaders’ Declaration. It shows how Indonesia, under
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, has tried to be a
unifying force in the midst of global uncertainty.
Now Indonesia has shifted focus and
attention to its next significant challenge: chairing ASEAN
(the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) in 2023.
This is the fifth time Indonesia has
held
the ASEAN Chairmanship – previously it was in 1976, 1996,
2003 and 2011. The handover of the ASEAN chairmanship from Cambodia
to Indonesia was carried out at the ASEAN
Summit last November.
Amid the current global geopolitical
uncertainty, there are at least three major challenges Indonesia will
face during its chairmanship of the largest regional forum of the Southeast
Asian countries. These include bringing ASEAN nations together on global
issues; strengthening regional cooperation; and pushing for more, not
less, multilateralism.
ASEAN countries are currently fractured
on big issues, like the South China Sea and Myanmar. Each ASEAN member
state has different position, perspectives and interests on the matter.
This condition has made ASEAN member
states vulnerable to be divided and exploited by major powers.
China and the United States are currently
competing for influence as part of the global rivalry between the great
powers. South East Asia is strategically located in the middle of Indo-Pacific,
a region winning increased attention
from both policy makers and experts in recent years.
Not only does Indonesia need to take
into account the interest of ASEAN member states, it also needs to balance
competing interests from abroad.
2. Strengthening regional cooperation
Even though Indonesia is the largest
country in ASEAN, and has introduced regional breakthroughs
in the past, Indonesia cannot push through challenges alone. Indonesia
needs to build consensus among members that have different national
interest and goals.
Thus, Indonesia needs to embrace ASEAN
member states to strengthen regional cooperation where there are less
contention and more convergence of interest.
Issues such as food security and resilience,
maritime security and transnational crimes can be places to start seeing
ASEAN’s importance to member countries. These so-called “low-hanging
fruit” issues are plentiful, and Indonesia can spearhead effort at regional
level to push for further ASEAN cooperation on them.
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
and the Russia-Ukraine
war on the global supply chain and economy should show ASEAN countries
they need a stronger cooperation at a regional level, and the value
of working within ASEAN’s framework rather than pursuing policies unilaterally.
ASEAN has established this centre so
its members can be better prepared for the next pandemic.
3. Pushing for a return to multilateralism
Indonesia needs to push for “multilateralism”,
which is currently under threat by the proliferation of “minilateralism”.
Failure to do so will push ASEAN to the periphery and at the mercy of
great powers.
Multilateralism can be defined
as international cooperation between three states or more. “Minilateralism”
does not have a specific definition, but for this article, I am using
the definition
as:
the smallest possible number of countries
needed to have the largest possible impact on solving a particular
problem with the number of countries varied depending on the problem.
In recent years, minilateralism has
facilitated the emergence of institutions such as AUKUS
(a trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK, and the US, for
the Indo-Pacific region) and QUAD
(the Indo-Pacific Quadrilateral Dialogue between Australia, India, Japan
and the US).
These institutions have become threats
to ASEAN role in the region, because they tend to discuss
and craft exclusive policy with minimal ASEAN involvement.
Western countries have been increasingly
trying to counteract China’s power in the Indo-Pacific region using
QUAD and AUKUS, instead of working with ASEAN.
For example, in November 2022, Japan
hosted the QUAD’s Naval
Exercise Malabar 2022 in the Philippine Sea, off the coast
of Japan. It involved at-sea exercises with naval ships, aircraft and
military personnel from Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.
China criticised the naval exercise,
calling it as an effort to curtail and contain China growing influence
in the region.
To counter minilateralism and strengthen
multilateralism, Indonesia should push for an ASEAN-led forum, such
as the ASEAN
Regional Forum, involving not just the great powers but also
regional and middle powers like Japan and South Korea.
Any dialogues with them should not
focus on controversial, sensitive issues, such as the South China Sea
dispute. Instead, they should focus on issues where there are shared
common interests, such as connectivity, climate change and maritime
security.
Involving middle powers such as Japan
and South Korea will shows ASEAN centrality and, if successful, will
also show that multilateralism – especially an ASEAN-backed process
– is still active and relevant.
Keeping great power struggles at bay
The challenges Indonesia is facing
as ASEAN Chair are plentiful, but they are not insurmountable.
All of the above issues will be part
of a wider effort for Indonesia to prevent ASEAN from becoming the next
battleground for great power politics.
Indonesia needs to led ASEAN in strengthening
and deepening ASEAN cooperation on multiple sectors to increase its
resilience from outside influence.
If Indonesia is able to circumvent
the obstacles, navigate the geopolitical situation and create regional
consensus, Indonesia could turn the challenges into opportunities that
will benefit not just itself, but the region as a whole.
The question is, does our government
has the political will to do it?
Demographics:
Optimism for Southeast Asia
by Peter Zeihan
We're starting the day off with a bit of optimism thanks to the demographic
outlook of Southeast Asia. This region of the world is primed and ready
to boom; all it needs is a bit of money and tech to get the party started.
Why am I so bullish on
SE Asia? It's one thing to have a single country with solid demographics,
but throw a whole bunch together, and their strength amplifies. Myanmar,
Cambodia, and Laos are child-heavy and can handle the low-skill jobs
for years to come. Vietnam and Indonesia are a bit older, have fewer
kids, and have the time and ability for the medium-skill jobs. Singapore
and Thailand are the oldest of the bunch but have developed the technical
skills to handle the high-skill jobs.
Southeast Asia is like
the neighborhood we all want to live in. No animosity between neighbors
(since geographical barriers prevent wars). Everyone brings something
unique and valuable to the table (differentiated workforces). What more
could you ask for?
Peter Zeihan
is an expert in geopolitics:
the study of how place impacts financial, economic, cultural, political
and military developments. He presents customized executive briefings
to a wide array of audiences which include, but are not limited to,
financial professionals, Fortune 500 firms, energy investors, and a
mix of industrial, power, agricultural and consulting associations and
corporations. Mr. Zeihan has been featured in, and cited by, numerous
newspapers and broadcasts including The Wall Street Journal,
Forbes, AP, Bloomberg, CNN, ABC,The New York Times, Fox News and MarketWatch.
ASEAN
- the Future?
with
Shermon
Cruz, James M. Dorsey, Mike Jackson & Miss Metaverse
ASEAN, the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10
member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental
cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military,
educational, and sociocultural integration between its members and
countries in the Asia-Pacific. ASEAN's primary objectives are to accelerate
economic growth by loosening restrictions on goods, services and capital
within the internet market and through that advance cultural, economical
and social progress and development.
Moderator
Credits
Shermon
Cruz Manila, Philippines
Executive Director and Chief Futurist Center for Engaged Foresight
engagedforesight.wordpress.com
Chair at the Association of Professional Futurists apf.org Chair
and Board of Directors Asia Pacific Futures Network (APFN) asiapacificfutures.net
James M. Dorsey
Singapore
Adjunct Senior Fellow S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies www.rsis.edu.sg The Turbulent World with James M.
Dorsey www.jamesmdorsey.net
TransPod is developing
the next generation of affordable and sustainable ultra-high-speed transportation
for a better connected and fossil fuel-free society.
TransPod is building solutions
to solve mankinds biggest upcoming challenge. The way people move
is not sustainable. As the population is demanding faster deliveries
and faster transport, it is critical to develop new transportation systems
capable of moving people fast and clean.
In a vacuum tube train
system, pressurized passenger and cargo vehicles travel in a low-pressure
tube environment, driven by linear induction motors and air compressors,
at speeds exceeding 1000 km/h. TransPods cutting-edge new design
enables a significant reduction in the investment capital, increase
in reliability, and improved operational performance, allowing a stronger
business case for this system.
Cities are facing pressures
to address environmental issues caused by traffic congestion and urban
population growth while providing more equitable mobility and sustainable
transportation. Smart road technology helps city planners and governments
address these challenges. The Internet of Things (IoT) is making road
transportation more connected, safe, sustainable, and efficient with
traffic management, pedestrian and vehicle safety, environmental monitoring,
smart and connected roadway corridors, and EV charging and parking networks.
What Is Smart Road Technology?
With new pressures for
cities to develop more effective roadways and highways, smart infrastructure
is essential for modernization. Smart roads built on IoT and information
and communications technology (ICT) can make it possible for cities
and transportation authorities to collect and analyze data to improve
day-to-day traffic management. Smart road infrastructure can also help
cities adapt for long-term sustainable transportation needs. With IoT
sensors, cameras, radar, and 5G-equipped technologies, data can be analyzed
in near-real time and used to improve congested roadways, streamlining
traffic flow. Data can also be sent to the cloud for long-term analysis,
providing critical insight for efforts such as reducing CO2 emissions.
Edge computing opens myriad
possibilities for smart and connected roads. It enables low latency
for the analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) that power smart
road infrastructure, like adaptive traffic lights and integrated roadways.
For example, traffic lights that automatically adjust their timing based
on sensor data can enhance the flow of traffic or change signals to
help protect others on the road from dangerous drivers.
Covering the
various aspects of water and climate change, Climate Change and Water
Resources presents the principles of climate change science and its
effects on earth's water supply. Utilizing the knowledge and expertise
from well-known experts in the field, the text provides a broad outline
of the many interrelated aspects of climate variations, climate change,
and connections to water resources. Designed to help managers with developing
strategies, implementing policies, and investing in infrastructure and
information sources for integrated water resources management, the text
addresses many issues regarding climate change and water resources.
It also includes adaptation options, which are essential to water resource
sustainability.
The material is divided
into four sections. The first part of the book provides an introduction
to climate change and considers theoretical aspects and available tools.
The second part of the book examines the impacts that climate change
has on the water sector. The third part focuses on the different adaptation
measures needed to minimize the effects of climate change. The fourth
part presents a number of case studies.
Focused on
climate change in the water sector, Climate Change and Water Resources
closely analyzes scientific research and fuels study for a greater understanding
of climate change and the proper management of water. This text is useful
for undergraduate and postgraduate students, scientists, and design
engineers as well as those working at research institutes and implementing
and planning agencies.
Dr. Sangam
Shretha
is an Associate Professor contributing to the Department of Energy,
Environment, and Climate, School of Environment, Resources and Development,
Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. He lectures in Energy and Climate
Change and Sustainable Development Program
The science
of water sustainability
by TechKnow, Al Jazeera
English
From space, the Earth is
a big blue planet covered 70 percent in water. However, a closer look
reveals that only two and a half percent of that is fresh water, with
only one percent being easily accessible to keep our 6.8 billion inhabitants
alive and well.
On TechKnow, we explore
the possible solutions to address water scarcity through science, and
explore the effect these new initiatives could have in the larger agricultural
areas around the world. We also explore technological advancements that
are having a quantifiable impact on conserving fresh water through innovation.
Water is the
life-blood of our planet: it is vital for human life and public health;
grows our food that we eat; nurtures the environment that sustains our
planet; and flows through and connects the economies we depend on.
- High Level Panel on Water, 2016, Water Future of Future Earth
Water Efficiency
at Home
by National Geographic
This is
the future: Sustainable water resources
by Mott MacDonald
Inspiration
towards sustainable water management
Auroville and UN SDGs
by Auroras Eye Films
We are in a serious crisis
and change is needed to avoid a catastrophe. In 2015, the UN compiled
17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets as a utopian
vision of a world where humanity can live sustainably. The SDGs were
signed by 193 countries and aimed to be achieved by 2030, with more
work to be done!
The SDGs are a tool for governments to develop regulatory and support
systems that both globally and locally reinforce the efforts towards
sustainability, and upscale good practices to regional and global level.
This modern crisis is of course not the first which humanity has gone
through. Throughout history we can see the reoccurrence of such crises,
when critical paradigm shifts and regime changes were needed to evolve
beyond them. In such times the grass-roots movement of Intentional Communities
has often played an intensified role experimenting and finding solutions.
Small groups of people who perceive the crisis early separate from the
rest of the population and break away from the mainstream into communities.
Members in these Intentional Communities worked to bring about the changes
needed for human survival & renewal, first within their own community
but also as models for all of humanity.
After the 1960s, some of the first to sense the looming environmental
crises started formulating new types of Intentional Communities, that
focus on creating & redefining sustainability through their activities.
One of the most successful and long lasting Intentional Communities
was founded in South India in 1968 - Auroville - The city the
Earth needs
The people living in Auroville seek to combine ancient wisdom with modern
technology as a living laboratory, and develop practices that ensure
Aurovilles resilience despite the many challenges.
This documentary focuses on one of the most pressing questions of the
present crisis, how to achieve SDG6, how to achieve water security for
all.
The movie presents 8 universal aspects of todays global water
crisis, and some of the good practices used in Auroville which also
contribute to the aims of SDG6. We hope this video can bridge the top-down
UN development goals with the grass-roots practices. By sharing &
upscaling such practical solutions regionally & beyond we can emerge
from this crisis.
Future
Earth harnesses the experience and reach of thousands
of scientists and innovators from across the globe. This global community
is spread over a series of networks and governing and advisory bodies.
Future Earth supports 27 Global Research Networks that together address
the complex interactions between natural, social and technological systems,
and how those interactions affect, across time and space, the planets
life support systems, socio economic development, and human wellbeing.
The mission of Future Earth
Coasts is to support adaptation to global change by linking natural
and social sciences with knowledge of coastal communities at global,
regional and local scales. Future Earth Coasts operates as an international
research project and global expert network exploring the drivers and
social-environmental impacts of global environmental change in coastal
zones.
Oceans and coasts are changing. Were listening to those changes.
Complex challenges take a diverse community to hear, understand and
act.
Future Earth Coasts acknowledge
and pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and the Elders past,
present, and emerging throughout the worlds coastal zones and
recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, and culture.
They hold the memories, traditions, cultures, and hopes of Indigenous
People around the world.
IMBeR Integrated
Marine Biosphere Research is a large global research project
which focuses on ocean sustainability in the context of global change.
We want to understand past, present and future changes to the ocean.
In particular, we want to know how we can achieve a sustainable ocean
for the benefit of society.
IMBeR supports collaborative,
disciplinary, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and integrated research
that addresses key ocean science issues generated by and/or impacting
society. Such research is required to provide evidence-based knowledge
and guidance, along with options for policy-makers, managers and marine-related
communities, to help achieve sustainability of the marine realm under
global change.
South, Southeast, and East Asia are regions where the major features
of landscape such as vegetation, soil, and the water system
developed in a monsoon climate. However, the variability of monsoon
climates cause a high frequency of climate-related disasters, such as
floods, drought, and heat waves which often bring great damage to the
region. Meanwhile, Monsoon Asia is developing rapidly with the highest
population density in the world.
The vision of MAIRS-FE
is to significantly advance our understanding of the interactions between
the human-environment relationship in the monsoon Asian region and subsequent
implications to the global earth system. MAIRS-FE research aims to support
the global strategies for sustainable development.
The Sustainable Water Future Programme (WATER FUTURE) is a global research
platform with expertise and innovation in water research, policy, security,
and sustainability. Building upon more than a decade of water-related
research under the Global Water System Project, WATER FUTURE provides
the knowledge and support to accelerate transformations to a more sustainable
planet.
Research to support the transition to water sustainability
Water is and will remain
a crucial factor in the many challenges that our world faces, and is
a central goal of the Sustainable Development Agenda.WATER FUTURE is
a core activity of Future Earth. Hosted by Griffith Universitys
Australian Rivers Institute in Brisbane, Australia, its sole mission
is to support the quest for solutions to the worlds water problems.
Research conducted through
WATER FUTURE seeks to ensure a balance between the needs of humankind
and nature through the protection of ecosystems and the services it
provides. Furthermore, WATER FUTURE aims to offer real solutions underpinned
by interdisciplinary science to deliver a sustainable water world.
Delivering water, energy, and food for all in a sustainable and equitable
way is one of the major challenges faced by our societies.
Future Earths Water-Energy-Food
Nexus Knowledge-Action Network is a network of people and organizations
working to address nexus challenges. Were fostering transdisciplinary
research and communicating the importance of holistic system approaches
across water, energy, and food systems.
The Network is unique in
that it is not dominated by any one of the three sectors, instead providing
a balanced platform for discussion and agenda setting. Together with
Future Earths Global Research Projects, the Network brings together
experts from across disciplines to break down the silo-thinking which
inhibits transdisciplinary research and solutions.
The percentage of world population lacking access
to electricity, safe drinking water and food. Data from World Bank (2014),
WHO and UNICEF (2015) and FAO (2016).
System interactions
Interactions between water, energy and food systems
are manifold. These interactions intensify as demand for resources increases.
Ongoing growth in global population combined with societal shifts towards
ever more resource-intensive lifestyles are putting these systems under
increasing pressure. By 2050, according to most of the baseline scenarios,
the demand for energy will nearly double while water and food demand
is expected to increase by over 50%. Add in major environmental challenges,
including climate change, land use change, and the depletion of natural
resources, and the urgency for action becomes clear.
Sohail
Inayatullah
UNESCO Chair of Futures Studies
About Sohail Inayatullah
Professor Sohail Inayatullah,
a political scientist, is the UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies at the Sejahtera
Centre for Sustainability and Humanity, IIUM, Malaysia. He
is also a Professor at Tamkang
University, Taipei (Graduate Institute of Futures Studies)
and an Associate, Melbourne Business School, The
University of Melbourne. From 2016 2020 he was the UNESCO
Chair in Futures Studies at USIM,
Malaysia. From 2001-2020, he was an Adjunct Professor at the
University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia. From 2011-2014, he was Adjunct
Professor at the Centre for policing, counterterrorism and intelligence,
Macquarie
University,
Sydney. In 1999, he was the UNESCO Chair in European Studies at the University
of Trier, Germany.
In 2016, Professor Inayatullah
was awarded the first UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies. In 2010, he was
awarded the Laurel award for all-time best futurist by the Shaping Tomorrow
Foresight Network. In March 2011, he was awarded an honorary doctorate
by Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. He received his doctorate from
the University of Hawaii in 1990. Inayatullah has lived in Islamabad,
Pakistan; Bloomington, Indiana; Flushing, New York; Geneva, Switzerland;
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Brisbane and Mooloolaba,
Australia.
Inayatullah is the Editor-in-Chief
of the Journal
of Futures Studies and on the editorial boards (or scientific
advisor) of Futures, Prout Journal, World Future Review, World Futures,
Futuribles, and Foresight. He has written more than 400 journal articles,
book chapters, encyclopedia entries and magazine editorials. His articles
have been translated into a variety of languages, including Catalan,
Spanish, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Indonesian,
Farsi, Arabic, and Mandarin. Inayatullah has also written and co-edited
twenty-sux books/cdroms, including:CLA 3,0: Thirty Years of Transformative
Research (with Ralph Mercer, Ivana Milojevic, and John A. Sweeney);
What Works: Case Studies in the Practice of Foresight; CLA 2.0: Transformative
Research in Theory and Practice (2015, and Ivana Milojevic); Questioning
the Future: Methods and Tools for Organizational and Societal Transformation
(2007); Macrohistory and Macrohistorians: Perspectives on Individual,
Social, and Civilizational Change (1997 and Johan Galtung). His latest
(2018) book include Asia 2038: Ten Disruptions That Change Everything
(in English, Mandarin, and Korean and Lu Na), Futures Thinking and Foresight:
Why Foresight Matters for Policy Makers (Susann Roth) and Infectious
Futures: Reflections, Visions, and Worlds Through and Beyond C0VID-19
(Ramos, Black and Sweeney).
Metafuture
is an educational think tank that explores alternative and preferred
futures and the worldviews and myths that underlie them. Through presentations,
workshops and research, Metafuture helps local and global organizations
and institutions create alternative and preferred futures. It is hosted
by Sohail Inayatullah and Ivana Milojevic.
The Future Speaks: Decision-Making
w/ Transformational Futures - Sohail Inayatullah & Frank Spencer
by TFSX