To facilitate the implementation of activities, a Collaborative Assessment Network (CAN) was established composed of: policy and inter-government bodies, scientific community, and donors. Providing overall guidance to the network is the Centre Advisory Committee.

Countries in the region share common and emerging issues that cut across national boundaries. The Centre, together with the subregional inter-governmental organisations and national agencies, will identify these transboundary issues. Partners at the sub-regional inter-governmental level include:

Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN),
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD),
Mekong River Commission (MRC),
Scientific Informational Center - Central Asia (SIC)
South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) and
South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

The scientific community consists of UNEP Global and Regional Integrated Data (GRID) Centres (GRID Bangkok, GRID Christchurch, GRID Kathmandu and GRID Tsukuba), Collaborating Centres (ACAP, AIT, BCAS, DA, IGCI, NIES, SEI, SEPA, TEI, and TERI) and other academic and non-government organizations who have substantive expertise on the issues. In partnership with the scientific community, the Centre will carry out technical level consultations to develop region-specific approaches and solutions in addressing the issues. Appropriate policy actions will also be identified. The Centre aims to move beyond documenting the issue. It will access financing from donor-agencies (ie. ADB, UNDP, NORAD, GTZ, Danida, FINNIDA, the government of Netherlands, Sida, etc.) to facilitate the implementation of the proposed solutions and will disseminate packaged information to the policy level for action.