EMERGING ASEAN YOUNG LEADERS ON INTEGRATING ONE ASEAN’s ECOLOGY

By : Gracia Paramitha

First of all, I would like to convey my highest appreciation for ASEAN members because they struggle to unite into one community, one vision, and one identity. Likewise, Indonesia also has got initiative ideas to empower youth roles on building ASEAN Communities 2015, which is certainly defined as ASEAN-Indonesia youth ambassador 2009. It is greatful that I could explain and share my contribution to discuss about ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, especially in environmental sustainability. There are three keywords which can improve the importance of youth role in ASEAN, such as : powerful influence, inclusive passion, and visionary ideology. Based on that point, my motivation to join this competition is I would strongly encourage all young people in ASEAN to create one ASEAN’s ecology. As an emerging leader in ASEAN, it supposed to be pride and optimistic towards biodiversity in South East Asia countires. All of them are located in the same climate, same air, same creatures. They are just the same geographical condition, which is essential to unite and mutually cooperate. If I were ASEAN-Indonesia youth ambassador 2009, I would like to make techno-structural breakthrough for ASEAN’s ecology, which means that every ASEAN youth will do relate social (people-oriented), economy (profit-oriented), and environment aspects (planet-oriented). Crucial point of it is how ASEAN youth have great commitment on integrating their minds and hearts. There will be more multi-track diplomacy from youth to youth which has been identified in South East Asia Youth Environment Network (SEAYEN) Conference 2007, part of United Nations Framework on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) in Bali. The practical action to implement that breakthrough is each ASEAN youth must join with 4 “ECOs”  “ECOtainment”, “ECO-nsciousness”, “ECO-community, and “ECO-sustainability”. For the details, I would elaborate them in next paragraphs. This essay will explain about : the overview of ASEAN Community (1), approaches to environmental sustainability (2), definition of 4 “ECOs”  concrete action from youth in integrating one ASEAN’s ecology (3), and conclusion (4).
When ASEAN was established on 8th August 1967, there were so many aspects that they built. Economic issues, security and threat, social-culture, political interest, environmental preserves, and of course its identity. As a regional integration, ASEAN has done to bridge all of them into third essential pillars, such as : ASEAN Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community, and ASEAN SocioCultural Community. It has been proven by Bali Concorrd II, a meeting that was held on 7th October 2003 which purpose to form ASEAN Community 2020. This vision wasn’t only characterized the new identity of ASEAN but also integrate their main interest to solve the problem primarily. Based on ratified ASEAN Charter, environmental issues has been informed into ASEAN SocioCultural Community. Facing from its blue print, ensuring environmental sustainability is one of key element to develop one great ecology. It has stregthen by the agenda of environmental sustainability, such as :
D 1 Addressing global environmental issues
D 2 Managing and preventing transboundary environmental pollution
D 3 Promoting sustainable development through environmental education and public participation
D 4 Promoting Environmentally Sound Technology (EST)
D 5 Promoting quality living standards in ASEAN cities / urban areas
D 6 Harmonizing environmental policies and databases
D 7 Promoting the sustainable use of coastal and marine environment
D 8 Promoting sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity
D 9 Promoting the sustainability of freshwater resources
D 10 Responding to Climate Change and addressing its impacts
D 11 Promoting sustainable forest management (SFM)
Environmental sustainability was followed by sustainable development, which the development encourage social, environmental, and economy aspects. According to Hegley Jr 1992, sustainability development has imperative strategies, such as :
a. oriented to economic, social, and environmental purposes
b. observe the ecological boundaries on material consumption and stregthen qualitative development for individual and society (equal distribution)
c. support, cooperation, and conservation from government which is realized by their coordinative policy
d. it depends on education, planning, and political process which is transformed, open, and fair management
e. integrate social and environmental costs from the effect of economic development
The result of COP 14 in Poznan declares that World Bank is major polluter (only from economics) of global warming problem. Therefore, it is important to enhance visible businesses from economists, acceptable values from sociologists, and responsible obligation from environmentalists. It’s absolutely concluded into the ethic of environment, which is called as ecocentrism theory. The ecocentric ethic was conceived by Aldo Leopold and recognizes that all species, including humans, are the product of a long evolutionary process and are inter-related in their life processes. The writings of Aldo Leopold and his idea of the land ethic and good environmental management are a key element to this philosophy. Ecocentrism focuses on the biotic community as a whole and strives to maintain ecosystem composition and ecological processes. The term of its ethics is called as deep ecology movement, which is focused on all of creatures in the world and reach global interests in all ecology communities. Ecocentrism has linear relation with biocentrism, which is asked moral responsibilities for biological realities.
Previously, I have explained a little bit about techno-structural breakthrough (long term planning and significance) for ASEAN youth. As an important decision-maker in ASEAN’s policy, youth could contribute on integrating one ASEAN’S ecology by 4 “ECOs”. First point is “ECOtainment”. Ecotainment includes infotainment, entertainment, and edutainment aspects. Uniquely, those are related into environmental or ecological issues. This is my own concept which is dedicated into my project proposal on Climate Change Programme with British Council. I was chosen by British Council to share environmental activities on “Project Management and Leadership Training” in Bogor, 20th-31st August 2008. It was an interesting event because the participants (came from 12 different countries) had common diferentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities on climate change problems. On 4th June later, I am going to hold special brainstorming show which correlate entertainment and environmental issues. The purpose of the event is to celebrate world environmental day on 5th June by expressing their potential performance, especially in arts. Socialization of environmental issues could be performed by arts, like : music, painting, poetry, lyric, dance, or even puppets. This is also the realisation of my project, which the main point is “entertain the earth first, then entertain your self!” Second, I would create “ECO-nsciousness” to all ASEAN youth. Before we do more for environment, we have to aware and get big consciousness about ecological issues. This is added into the joint statement of 4th TUNZA-South East Asia Youth Environment Network in July 2008. As the continuous project of SEAYEN 2007 in, they deal with collective role on climate security which shout out :”Kick our habits first! Start to change ourselves first/with simple habits to sustainable lifestyles in daily life (i.e. planting trees, reducing Co2 emissions)”.Third, by realizing ASEAN Community 2015, it is supposed to build “ASEAN ECO-community”. This communal relation could foster one ASEAN’s ecology. One of the concrete example is building ASEAN University Network and that members have ASEAN University Youth Summit which is recently held in September 2008. Fourth, ASEAN’s ecology could not stable if there was no sustainable efforts. After create awareness, community, and education on ecology, it is finally make “ECO-sustainability”. The way to continue this programme is connect with all youth in ASEAN via media. Internet has facilitated us variety of websites, friend networks (facebook, friendster,etc), and blogs. So, it is no doubt or difficulty to expand communication skills beyond the country. The positive impact that I’ve perceived is moment of “Asian Pacific Inter Faith Youth Camp 2008 (APIFYC) on Climate Change”. This event was held by Tunas Hijau Club in July 2008 and consisted of 75 young participants from 11 countries. As a coordinator of event, I’m used to get borderless connection by internet. I started to search some environmentalist websites, write some blogs in Tunas Hijau’s website, and invite people to join with APIFYC 2008. This event is also kindly supported by Indonesia-Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Surabaya’s Government.
All of those activites is especially dedicated for youth role and capacity. For preserving the global environmental problem like climate change, it is important to get youth action as the leader of change. I believe that ASEAN’s leader could be coalescing for integrating one sustainable ecology, a place where we get to actualize social responsibility. No matter what had happened, we still have new hope for new life. Emerging young leader should be highly aware to care the environmental, have inclusive integrity, and equal commitment between heart and mind. There is no excuse and no time for some body. Let’s do it by starting the phrase “I am, you are, we are…!” ASEAN young leaders must prepare and decide to do more for the earth.