In his opening remarks at the ASEAN Day celebrations at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on Saturday, Kao said climate change was among the challenges that increasingly transcended national borders, as its effects were being felt across the region.

“Across Southeast Asia, communities are experiencing more frequent floods, droughts and extreme weather,” Kao said, as quoted from the video released by the ASEAN Secretariat.

He noted that the disasters continue to “threaten homes and livelihoods, disrupt agriculture and food security, and test the resilience of our communities and economies”. The widespread nature of these disasters, he said, underscored the need for stronger regional cooperation, as no ASEAN member state can address the climate crisis by itself.

“The well-being of our people is increasingly shaped by challenges that no country can confront alone,” Kao said.

The warning came as Indonesia grapples with drought and land fires as it enters the peak of its dry season, including a blaze that has burned 60 hectares of Mount Bromo National Park in East Java last week. Neighboring countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, meanwhile, have experienced flooding caused by torrential rains in recent months.

Kao’s speech came as ASEAN marked its 59th anniversary amid geopolitical tensions that have disrupted trade routes and driven up food and energy prices, illustrating how global situations increasingly affect the region.

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