Southeast Asian nations are stepping up joint efforts to address the growing toll of climate disasters, shifting focus toward faster recovery and support for communities already bearing irreversible losses.

At the opening of ASEAN Climate Week 2026, officials highlighted the urgency of dealing not just with prevention but with the real and immediate consequences of extreme weather events, including destroyed homes, lost livelihoods, and strained public services. The initiative places “loss and damage” at the center of regional cooperation as countries face more frequent and severe climate impacts.

Environment Secretary Juan Miguel T. Cuna said stronger coordination among member-states is key to improving response systems across the region.

“What ASEAN is doing with regard to this is pushing for stronger coordination and collaboration among ASEAN member-states, and also pushing for the sharing of resources and technical expertise,” Sec. Cuna said.

Part of the effort includes a regional study designed to assess how prepared each country is to respond to climate-related damage and to identify gaps that need urgent attention.

“There’s a study on loss and damage… which aims to be able to assess the readiness of the different ASEAN member-states to deal with climate change, and in the process identifying their specific needs so that these can be addressed,” he said.