The meeting and workshop on the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative (APMI) turned out to be a success. Approximately 70 people attended the meeting, which included representatives from 9 of the 10 ASEAN member countries, project partners and sponsors, and ASEAN Secretariat. The event began with opening remarks from Dato’ Sazmi Miah, Parliamentary Secretary of Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MoNRE) Malaysia, followed by presentations on member country’s updated paper on their respective peatlands (excluding Myanmar). Brief presentations by donors, supporters and partners for sustainable management of peatlands in the ASEAN region were also given. Specific projects and other activities related to fire prevention and sustainable management of peatlands in the region were highlighted, as well as exhibited throughout the meeting.


On the second day, participants were divided into two groups to review the current operational objectives, targets and timeframe of the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS). Another session was held to discuss regional and national implementation mechanisms of the APMS, other issues related to APMI (e.g. exchanges, guidelines, best management practices, and demonstration sites) and identification of activities which may require regional or international financial or technical support.


A plenary discussion was scheduled on the final day of the three-day workshop to present and discuss the revised APMS based on the two discussion sessions.

Following the plenary, a dialogue was held with the donors, collaborative partners and supporters on ‘Options for Partnership and Collaboration for APMS Implementation’.


The workshop ended with closing remarks by Ms. Liana Bratasida, Chairperson of ASOEN-HTTF, as well as Dr. Nadzri Yahya from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Malaysia on behalf of the host country to the workshop.


The workshop had also included an optional field visit to peatland areas in the state of Selangor to illustrate burnt and drained peatlands, and peatlands that have been rehabilitated by canal-blocking.


Overall, the 2nd regional workshop on the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative was a success. The APMS is currently undergoing its second drafting to take into consideration the outcomes/outputs/results of the discussions. We shall keep you informed once the second draft has been finalized.

Finally, Global Environment Centre would like to acknowledge and thank the following for making the event a success: Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment, Malaysia; ASEAN Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme - Global Environment Facility, and the Department of Forestry, Peninsular Malaysia. Also to Climate Change, Forest and Peatlands in Indonesia project, Wetlands International – China and Indonesia, UNDP-GEF Peat swamp project in Malaysia, South Sumatera Fire Fighting Project and the JICA Fire prevention Project in Sumatera for their contribution to the exhibition session.