The UK and ASEAN launched the Supporting Socially Inclusive Climate Adaptation & Resilience in ASEAN (CLARE-ASEAN) initiative on 4 June 2025 in Jakarta. The programme uses new evidence and innovation to promote socially-inclusive urban resilience to climate change in the Southeast Asia region.

The CLARE-ASEAN is a regional programme under the UK’s flagship Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) research framework, funded about 90% by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and co-funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The initiative will run through 2026 and aims to generate evidence-based, inclusive solutions to climate challenges in Southeast Asian cities.

The UK Ambassador to ASEAN, Sarah Tiffin, said:

Climate resilience is a pivotal investment for Southeast Asia’s future. The UK’s support through CLARE-ASEAN aims to help ASEAN Member States tackle climate risks at scale—by strengthening partnerships among researchers, policymakers, and local communities.

CLARE-ASEAN will focus on co-developing climate solutions with marginalised communities, producing tailored research and policy briefs to support ASEAN decision-making, and contributing to the forthcoming IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.

The programme is closely aligned with the ASEAN Working Group on Climate Change (AWGCC) Action Plan and responds to the ASEAN State of Climate Change Report, which identifies urban areas—home to more than half of the region’s population—as a critical sector for adaptation efforts.