Bangkok (VNA) – The Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (A🍨SEAN) needs to prioritise the quality of education and public health, implement clean energy transition, adopt sustainableagriculture practices, improve urban planning and accelerate digitalisation to achieve sustainabledevelopment.

Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, made the suggestions at a workshop on a green ASEAN held in Bangkok, Thailand. He said ASEAN is among the fastest-growing regions globally as the bloc is equippedwith clean energy, technology, expertise and know-how to reach sustainabledevelopment. A well-educated young generation willbecome a quality human resource, attracting foreign investors. On the second priority, Sachs said the regional countries need tofocus on improving their health systems because physical and mental healthplays a very important role in improving productivity. The scholar also said that ASEAN memberstates need to invest in the energy transition. The use of clean energy and themove towards a "zero-carbon" economy are necessary, especially in thecontext of global warming, natural disasters and worsening food shortages. He acknowledged that the countries should invest insustainable agriculture as the current agriculture sector is facing challengesfrom intensified water cycles, climate pressures and new pests. Sachs held that the countries must have new agricultural strategies that are sustainable andcapital-intensive, technology-intensive and information-intensive. He also noted the importance of investing in urbaninfrastructure, such as public transport, social housing and green spaces. Finally, the professor affirmed that digital platformsand transformation are necessary because these are powerful tools that the countries need to have at hand. He also shared that ifall ASEAN member states implement these priorities, or more broadly allcountries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the wholeAsia-Pacific region will benefit./.