Activities for the ASEAN region

The final workshop for the PaSTI-JAIF Phase 3 project (2019–2025), which aims to promote transparency in the ASEAN region, was held in Tokyo on July 1 and 2, 2025. The workshop aimed to share the project’s outcomes and lessons learned, as well as to discuss challenges and next steps toward achieving “Harmonized Transparency” beyond 2030. Approximately 40 participants attended the event, both on-site and online, including representatives from the environment and related ministries of ASEAN Member States (AMS), the financial sector, and international organizations.

Day 1: Sharing Country-Level Achievements and Discussion on Harmonized Transparency
Three sessions were held on day 1: (1) Sharing the results from each ASEAN country, (2) Lectures by experts and (3) Discussions.
In session 1, participants shared the progress and results of pilot activities conducted in diverse sectors including waste, industrial processes, and agriculture. Updates were also given to the introduction of GHG emission calculation tools, development of legal frameworks, and collaboration with businesses and local governments. Participants showed strong interest in learning about institutional developments and challenges faced in neighboring countries, leading to an extended and lively Q&A session.
In session 2, Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT), which supports transparency efforts under the Paris Agreement (e.g., GHG inventory preparation) shared knowledge on harmonizing national inventories and corporate-level GHG reporting. Next presentation was given by Mitsubishi Research Institute about the overview of the system for the calculation and disclosure of GHG Emissions (SHK) and the operation of the electric reporting system on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, Global Warming Countermeasures Act, and Fluorocarbon Emissions Control Act’s (EEGS). The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) presented the latest trends in climate-related disclosure and incentives in Asia.
In session 3, the discussion centered on the theme of “harmonized transparency involving the private sector”, where participants actively exchanged opinions. The session highlighted challenges to achieving a regionally harmonized transparency framework and reaffirmed the shared commitment to continue advancing transparency across the region.

Day 2: Site Visits - Learning on Carbon Credits and Supply Chain Management
The site visit focused on emission reduction technologies following GHG calculation and reporting. Participants visited Kureha Ecology Management Co., Ltd. – Wes Tec Kanagawa (a waste-to-energy facility), where they observed the entire process from collection and sorting of industrial waste to power generation.
Reflecting the growing role of cities in decarbonization across ASEAN, the workshop also provided an opportunity to learn from Kawasaki Eco-Town about public–private partnership projects for decarbonization.
Regarding carbon credits and supply chain management, various initiatives from Japan and other parts of Asia were introduced. These topics continued to generate a high level of interest and numerous questions from participants.

While PaSTI-JAIF Phase 3 is scheduled to conclude in July 2025, the workshop repeatedly underscored that many challenges remain such as supporting the development of country-specific systems and promoting “harmonized transparency” at the regional level in connection with GHG data disclosure in environmental finance. PaSTI remains committed to supporting enhanced transparency in the region even after the conclusion of this phase.

-Seminar
On August 22, a seminar on GHG M&R, “Development of policy, institutions and mechanisms and their effective utilization for transparency of GHG emissions and mitigation in the ASEAN region -Partnership to Strengthen Transparency for co-Innovation (PaSTI) and Initiative on Fluorocarbons Life Cycle Management (IFL)-”, was held as one of the thematic seminars of the “ASEAN-Japan Environment Week to Commemorate 50th Anniversary”.
In the seminar, activities to enhance transparency efforts through PaSTI, PaSTI-JAIF project, and IFL, which serve as a basis for climate action in the ASEAN region, were introduced.

In the discussion session, following an introduction of the background and overview of PaSTI-JAIF Project by Singapore (the proponent of the project), panelists from Singapore, Viet Nam, Brunei, and the Philippines each shared their countries' progress in transparency actions, and discussed expectations of the PaSTI and PaSTI-JAIF project and future collaboration. In particular, the need to strengthen technical capacity was repeatedly emphasized.

-Workshop
The “ASEAN Workshop on PaSTI” was held as a closed side-event of the “ASEAN-Japan Environment Week to Commemorate 50th Anniversary” on August 23. Representatives from each ASEAN country were invited.

At the beginning of the workshop, a presentation by CDP, a not-for-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system, helped participants deepen their understanding of the global trends of environmental disclosure and the relationship between disclosure (transparency) and finance, which includes ESG investment.
This was followed by the presentations by ASEAN Member States (AMS): Viet Nam, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, and Malaysia, each sharing the latest status of transparency action, including facility-level GHG M&R system.
In the group discussion, based on the presentations by CDP and the AMS, participants engaged in lively discussions on what kind of support is needed to enhance transparency within the ASEAN region as a whole, and the challenges they are facing.

The Semi-final Version of “the ASEAN Guidelines on Facility-level GHG Measurement and Reporting”, which had been in progress since 2019, was unveiled at the Singapore Pavilion at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

In the side-event “PaSTI-JAIF Project on development and implementation of facility level GHG emissions Measurement and Reporting framework in ASEAN member states“, H.E. Ms. Grace Fu, Minister of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore, H.E. Mr. Nishimura Akihiro, Minister of the Environment, Japan, and H.E. Mr. Ekkaphab Phanthavong, Deputy Secretary General, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, ASEAN Secretariat gave remarks and welcomed the outcome.

This regional guidelines had been formed in the second phase of the PaSTI-JAIF Project based on “Roadmap for Designing Facility Level GHG M&R Guideline for ASEAN Region” published as an outcome of the first phase in 2021, through detailed study and deliberate discussions by ASEAN member states.

The semi-final draft guidelines will be finalised through the public comments.

The PaSTI-JAIF Project launched an online platform “MRV Information Platform for ASEAN Region” at the same side-event.

This very first platform, which integrates and accumulates the latest information on MRV in ASEAN region, aims at providing and sharing information on MRV and transparency actions in ASEAN Member States (AMS) such as MRV guidelines, carbon pricing system, voluntary actions on GHG M&R, etc., in order to offer easy access to relevant information for state and non-state actors and assist developing domestic GHG measures.

It will be updated constantly with the cooperation of AMS, and will also be enriched with useful information about MRV in other countries.

Hope you all will make good use of this website!

The second Workshop on the Development of ASEAN Guidelines on GHG Measurement & Reporting under PaSTI-JAIF was held on 11th October 2022 as a back-to-back session of the International Workshop.

The objectives of this workshop were to share comments made during the bilateral consultations by the AMS and technical advisors and conduct further discussion, to introduce Draft Guidelines (Version 2.0) and discuss further development of guidelines, and to share progress on the development of the Information Platform of climate transparency in the ASEAN regions.

Reflecting the inputs from the Focal Points from ASEAN Member States, the Guidelines will be improved.

The Phase 2 of PaSTI-JAIF Project “Development and implementation of facility level Monitoring and Reporting (M&R) framework for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in ASEAN member states (AMS)” has been officially approved in December 2021. This phase aims to develop facility level M&R guidelines for ASEAN region following the “Roadmap for Designing Facility Level GHG M&R Guideline for ASEAN Region” which were developed in the Phase 1. It is expected that the developed guidelines can serve as a reference for AMS for developing their own transparency systems involving the state and non-state actors.

PaSTI-Closing Webinar was held to conclude Phase 1 activities.

As originally proposed for Phase 1 of the PaSTI-JAIF Project, a technical training in Japan was planned for February 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to travel internationally, and as a result, the technical training has been replaced by the organization of this webinar.

To summarise the Phase 1, the implementation agency prepared three video presentations explaining outcomes of Phase 1. By sending this information prior to the webinar, a very fruitful discussion was able to be conducted among the PaSTI-JAIF focal points from each ASEAN Member State during this virtual event.

In this webinar, Roadmap for Designing Facility Level GHG M&R Guideline for ASEAN Region was adopted as the output of Phase 1 activities.

You can recap the webinar on PaSTI Official Channel.