ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesia and Singapore have signed a comprehensive environmental cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening regional climate action and accelerating Southeast Asia’s transition toward a greener and more sustainable economy.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed in Jakarta on June 29 by Indonesia’s Minister of Environment and Head of the Environmental Control Agency, Moh Jumhur Hidayat, and Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, establishes a long-term framework for collaboration on climate change, pollution control, waste management, and environmental governance.
The agreement comes as Southeast Asia faces increasing climate-related risks, including rising temperatures, prolonged droughts linked to El Niño, transboundary haze, and growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions while sustaining economic growth.
“This MoU serves as an umbrella framework that will be followed by concrete operational cooperation,” Jumhur said after the signing ceremony.
“Together, we will strengthen collaboration on climate change mitigation and adaptation, waste management, air pollution control, and responses to increasingly prolonged El Niño events.”
Grace Fu said the agreement reflects both countries’ shared commitment to addressing environmental challenges that extend beyond national borders.
“There are many opportunities for Singapore and Indonesia to deepen cooperation, including in the circular economy, waste management, environmental protection, transboundary pollution control, and climate action,” she said.
“We hope this agreement will pave the way for stronger collaboration between governments, industries, and research institutions, with a clear focus on implementation.”
The partnership covers a broad range of initiatives, including the development of circular economy programs, sustainable waste management systems, water and air quality protection, and measures to combat transboundary pollution. It also prioritizes capacity building, technical exchanges, joint research, pilot environmental projects, and technology transfer to accelerate innovation in sustainable environmental management.
Officials said the agreement supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement and advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while aligning with Indonesia’s 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan, which identifies environmental resilience and sustainable natural resource management as key pillars of long-term economic development.
To oversee implementation, Indonesia and Singapore will hold regular ministerial policy dialogues and establish a senior officials’ working group tasked with monitoring progress, evaluating outcomes, and identifying new opportunities for cooperation.
As Southeast Asia intensifies efforts to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability, the agreement positions Indonesia and Singapore to play a leading role in advancing regional climate resilience, green innovation, and cross-border environmental cooperation across ASEAN. (Midwan)
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