ASEAN Regional Forum: Promotion of Sustainable Consumption 29-30 August 2019, Manila, the Philippines

The Regional Forum on the Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN was held from 29-30 August 2019 in Manila, the Philippines. The Forum provided a platform for relevant governmental bodies, businesses, as well as regional and international experts to discuss the impact of changing consumer behaviour as ASEAN intensifies its work on sustainable consumption. In her remarks, Ms Ruth B Castelo, Undersecretary, Consumer Protection Group, Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, informs that ‘…increasing incomes will increase the volume of consumption that will outweigh the improvements in energy and resource efficiencies’. Furthermore, Ms Castelo reiterated that ‘…national economic policies are required to ensure that goods and services reflect environmental costs to stimulate more sustainable consumption and production patterns.The convening of the Forum aims at strengthening regional awareness on the importance of sustainable consumption and provide insights for the development of the ASEAN Sustainable Consumption Guidance Toolkit. Ms. Rasamee Vistaveth, Chair of the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) explains that the Forum serves as the second key activity under the overarching project entitled, the ‘Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN’, which serves to support the development and implementation of policies for sustainable consumption, as well as to help empower consumers to be more knowledgeable about their consumption choices.

The Forum deliberated the influence of changing consumer behavior and consumption patterns in driving sustainable consumption, economic and regulatory tools, and possible policy reforms needed for effective promotion of sustainable consumption. It also explored possible means to strengthen cooperation in the area of sustainable consumption, and looked into the importance of sustainable utilization of natural resources.

The Regional Forum on the Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN is hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines and co-organised by the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP), and the ASEAN Secretariat. The Forum is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) under the project on the “Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN”