Mekong Environment Resilience Week: Solutions for Southeast Asia’s Environmental Issues

Newswise — The Social Research Institute of Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia, and with support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), held the Mekong Environment Resilience Week, celebrating SEI Asia’s 20th anniversary.  

The event was a climate conference focused on resilience in Southeast Asia, taking place on October 9, 2024, at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Bangkok. Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University, presided over the event and delivered the keynote address on “Solutions for Climate Resilience in Southeast Asia.” Associate Professor Dr. Unruan Leknoi, Director of the Social Research Institute, also participated in the conference. 

                                               

Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat stressed the importance of addressing climate change in the Mekong River Basin and Southeast Asia, highlighting the vulnerability of the region to climate change and the urgent need for action. 

The conference provided a platform for discussions and practical solutions, focusing on shared challenges and opportunities in Southeast Asia, particularly drawing on experiences from the Mekong River region and connecting them to the broader regional context. 

This event was part of the 2024 Mekong Environment Resilience Week, a multi-stakeholder forum aimed at strengthening climate resilience in the region and beyond. The conference seeks to enhance climate action and foster dialogue, bringing together policymakers, researchers, experts, representatives from governments, knowledge-based policy-influencing organizations (KBPIOs), academic and research institutions, UN agencies, development partners, the private sector, civil society, and development practitioners from the Mekong region, Southeast Asia, and other relevant areas. It underscores the critical need for international cooperation in tackling the region’s environmental challenges.