ASEAN youth press for stronger climate role with Langkawi Declaration

The ASEAN Children & Youth Climate Declaration, known as the Langkawi Declaration, was delivered at the 18th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME). It urges urgent steps in seven areas: youth participation in policymaking, climate justice, climate education, a just energy transition, resilient social services, sustainable agriculture rooted in indigenous knowledge, and climate financing.

Youth delegates said the document reflected their concerns and their readiness to be part of solutions. “The Langkawi Declaration is more than words, it’s a call to action. We are ready to work alongside our leaders to turn promises into action for every child, today and for the future,” said Celeste Chung, a representative from Sabah, Malaysia.

Alexandra Nicole Eclarinal, a delegate from the Philippines, said the declaration was grounded in the realities of vulnerable communities. “Each word in this Declaration carries the voices of communities at the frontlines of the climate crisis, from coastal villages to urban neighbourhoods,” she said.

Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, who chaired the meeting as Minister in charge of the Natural Resources and Environment Sustainability, received the document on behalf of ASEAN ministers. He praised the clarity and urgency of the proposals and said the bloc was committed to integrating youth perspectives into its environmental strategies.

UNICEF also welcomed the declaration’s recognition at ministerial level. “It demonstrates that youth are not just participants, they are influencing policy,” said Robert Gass, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam.

The Langkawi Declaration was drafted during the ASEAN Children & Youth Climate Summit (ACYCS) 2025, co-organised by UNICEF and Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability with support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports. About 100 youth delegates aged 15 to 25 joined dialogues, workshops and strategy sessions to produce the text.

Organisers said the declaration will guide youth-led action at national level and shape ASEAN’s position ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil in November.