Disasters know no borders; climate change escalation requires shared ASEAN response: Edwin Tong

SINGAPORE - Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of natural disasters, and building resilience is no longer optional, said Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong.

He added that such disasters also know no borders, making solidarity and collective action in ASEAN critical.

Tong was speaking at the ASEAN Strategic Policy Dialogue on Disaster Management 2026 held at Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay on Aug 19.

The 11th edition of the event was co-organised by the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management.

The event saw some 200 government officials, academics and practitioners present, including representatives from ASEAN countries, the European Union, Canada and New Zealand.

In his opening speech, Tong said 2026 marked the 10th anniversary of the One ASEAN One Response declaration.

He said the declaration had set out a clear ambition to increase the speed, scale and solidarity of ASEAN’s response to any disaster, recognising that an effective response cannot rest on any single institution or mechanism alone.

He said: “Yet, even as we have strengthened our capabilities, the challenges we face have also grown. They’ve in fact intensified. Natural disasters have worsened in both scale as well as frequency, and in many ways also its unpredictability.”

At the start of his speech, Tong extended his condolences to Indonesia, which experienced a 7.7 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Flores Island on Aug 15.

Thousands have been displaced, and at least 53 people were killed. Rescue efforts are ongoing.

Attendees at the dialogue observed a moment of silence for the victims of the disaster during a speech by Raditya Jati, Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Systems and Strategy, National Disaster Management Authority.

Tong also extended his condolences to the Philippines, which is currently experiencing the compound effect of tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay and the southwest monsoons.

Other ASEAN countries have not been spared.

Tong said the earthquake that struck Mandalay in Myanmar on March 28, 2025, was one of the deadliest disasters of the year, affecting Thailand and Vietnam as well.

He also mentioned cyclone Senyar, which brought widespread devastation across Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

More heatwaves

A key concern is the warning earlier this year by the World Meteorological Organisation of a Super El Nino.

Tong said this could mean more severe heatwaves and droughts with serious consequences on food security and public health in South-east Asia.

He said: “These events remind us that natural disasters do not at all respect national boundaries, national borders – they are regional challenges that demand regional solutions.

“As climate change continues to intensify the frequency and severity of natural disasters across our region and elsewhere in the world, building resilience and depth is no longer optional. In fact, I believe it is an imperative. It is a must-do.”

Tong said Singapore will take up the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027, and intends to deepen collective preparedness and resilience on several fronts.

This includes the hosting of the 10th ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise, which will test and validate regional disaster response procedures and coordination.

Singapore will also advance ASEAN’s climate and environmental agenda, having designated 2026 as the Year of Climate Adaptation and is developing a National Adaptation Plan, underpinned by a $40 million commitment to create a climate-ready nation.

Tong said that beyond preparedness, collective action is also essential, and can be extended beyond ASEAN.

He said: “We must move beyond reactive responses alone, and embed anticipatory thinking into the foundations, into the very core of our approach to disaster management.

“I believe that ASEAN is well-placed to build on its strong foundations to advance the implementation of One ASEAN, One Response initiatives, and eventually extend our collective capabilities to the broader international community.”

David Sun is The Straits Times’ crime correspondent. He has a background in criminology and is a licensed private investigator.