BRICS: Southeast Asian Countries Create Options in A Multipolar World Published: 28 August 2025 Article Southeast Asia’s deepening ties with BRICS signal a move to diversify partnerships and amplify their voice in global governance. With Indonesia joining it and Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam showing interest, leaders see BRICS as a platform for multilateralism, South-South cooperation, and economic reform – rather than a turn against the West. By Johanna Son
From Rooftops to Plates: Singapore’s Urban Farming for a Sustainable Future Published: 25 August 2025 Article From rooftop gardens to hospital courtyards, cities are reimagining their relationship with food through urban farming. What began as small community projects has grown into a movement that brings resilience and sustainability into everyday life. With initiatives ranging from skyscraper farms to aquaponics systems in public spaces, urban food production is gaining ground. By Christopher Leow
ASEAN Set to Adopt Environmental Rights Declaration in October 2025: Civil Society Pushes for Stronger Commitments Published: 22 August 2025 Article After years of deliberation, ASEAN is set to adopt the ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment (ADER) at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025. Marking the region’s first dedicated framework on environmental rights within ASEAN’s human rights system, ADER is the result of over two years of collaboration between AICHR and ASOEN and with inputs from region-wide CSOs. By Fransiskus Tarmedi
Reimagining the River: Cases from Selected Southeast Asian Countries Published: 21 May 2025 Article Healthy river ecosystems are vital for life. This article presents an innovative approach that fosters positive impacts on the ecological health of rivers, promoting the long-term sustainability of both social well-being and riverine environments. By Apisom Intralawan, Try Thuon, Aderita Mariana Takeleb, Tran Kim Chau, Nong Huu Duong and Eduardo Aniceto Serrão
The Roles of Railways in Promoting Sustainability in Southeast Asia Published: 17 February 2025 Article This article explores the 2025 Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) and its partnership with China’s Belt Road Initiative (BRI), which may open the region to more opportunities in commerce, tourism, and environmentally sustainable travel options. By Serina Rahman
Endangered Beauties: Challenges in Conserving Malaysia’s Wild Orchids Published: 22 January 2025 Article Ecological threats like poaching, habitat destruction and human-induced climate change not only endanger animals but also plants, in particular highly sought-after ones, like orchids. Malaysia is endowed with rich biodiversity which includes thousands of wild orchid species. By Rexy Prakash Chacko
From Baku to Borneo: Multilateralism and Dissonance in Global Climate Action Published: 16 December 2024 Article Multilateralism is vital for addressing global challenges like climate change, yet the outcomes of COP29 in Baku exposed a stark disconnect between high-level policies and grassroots realities. By Evelyn Teh
Living with Typhoons: Lessons from the Ivatans of Batanes, Philippines Published: 18 November 2024 Article Located at the tip of the Philippines, and approximately 118 miles from Taiwan, with almost identical weather, the Ivatans of Batanes have learned to adapt their ways of life while inhabiting the most typhoon-prone islands in the country. By Gretchen Abuso
Internship Published: 24 October 2013 The Heinrich Böll Stiftung’s Internship Program offers insights into the practical aspects of the work of a political foundation as well as administration and planning processes.