At a recent summit in Kuala Lumpur, UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the pressing need for climate action in Southeast Asia, a region increasingly affected by climate change, including rising sea levels and extreme weather events. He underscored the importance of multilateral cooperation and reforms in global financial systems to ensure equity and inclusion. Guterres praised ASEAN for its contributions to peacekeeping and regional stability, particularly in relation to Myanmar's ongoing humanitarian crisis. He warned that the target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is critically endangered and called for heightened climate ambition from all nations ahead of COP30 in Brazil. Guterres reaffirmed the UN's commitment to supporting ASEAN in achieving a more balanced and interconnected world.