Posted on August, 08 2025
Luang Prabang, Laos – The 28th Meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF) took place in the city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Laos. The meeting brought together ASEAN member states, development partners, and stakeholders to address shared challenges and scale up the adoption of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA) through sustainable financing mechanisms.
Hosted by the Lao PDR government, the meeting ran from 5–8 August 2025 and included the 23rd International Seminar of ASEAN ASOF. It featured presentations, experience-sharing, and open dialogue among ASEAN member states and partners on innovative approaches to sustainable forestry. Discussions centered on integrating NbS/EbA into national and regional strategies to support forest conservation, strengthen community resilience, and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director General of the Department of Forestry, Ministry of Forestry and Environment, emphasized the urgent need for increased funding and technical support to address deforestation and sustain the livelihoods of communities who rely on forest resources. He outlined the threats facing ASEAN’s forests, from illegal logging and land-use change to limited financial resources and technical capacity.
WWF participated in the meeting as one of the invited partners, represented by the Forest Lead of WWF-Asia Pacific, the WWF-Laos Country Director, and the forest programme team. Reaffirming its commitment not only to Laos but to the region as a whole, WWF echoed the importance of advancing inclusive, high-integrity NbS/EbA that benefit both people and nature.
During the 23rd International Seminar held that same week, James Bampton, WWF-Asia Pacific Forest Lead, introduced the idea of establishing an ASEAN NbS and Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) Platform – a regional initiative under the WWF–Inditex partnership aimed at strengthening collaboration, knowledge exchange, and investment in forest restoration. The proposed platform could serve as a strategic entry point for ASEAN to engage with the new Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), the world’s largest proposed forest financing mechanism.
Led by the Government of Brazil and set to be officially launched at COP30, the TFFF is designed to provide long-term funding for countries committed to keeping their tropical forests standing. Drawing inspiration from similar initiatives in Latin America and Africa, WWF emphasized that an ASEAN NbS/FLR Platform could enhance regional cooperation and deliver long-term benefits through improved ecosystem services – such as water regulation, climate adaptation, and sustainable forest-based livelihoods.
In Laos, WWF continues to work in close partnership with the Department of Forestry and local stakeholders to implement NbS/EbA through its national forest programme. This includes support for the management of National Protected Areas and the Forest Restoration for Resilience and Development project. These efforts focus on restoring degraded landscapes, improving livelihoods, promoting sustainable agroforestry, and strengthening technical capacity for forest monitoring.
Looking ahead, WWF reaffirms its commitment to strengthening regional collaboration and supporting ASEAN’s efforts to scale up NbS and forest restoration. WWF will continue working alongside governments, communities, and regional institutions to share knowledge, promote inclusive approaches, and help advance sustainable forest management and climate resilience across the region.
