Regional Environmental Governance: Examining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Model

summary Regional systems of environmental management are an essential com-ponent of global environmental governance, complementing gover-nance efforts at the national and global levels. This chapter analyzes the role and functions of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the environmental domain as one model for regional governance. ASEAN’s tradition emphasizes non-interference in its members’ domestic affairs, seeks consensus and cooperation, and aims to facilitate national implementation of regional agreements. Two main areas have served as a focal point for regional environmental cooperation within ASEAN: management of shared natural resources (biodiversity) and pol-lution control (air pollution from forest fires). The ASEAN experience in environmental management illustrates the strengths and limitations of environmental governance at the regional level, with important lessons for the global level. The organization’