Thirteen countries submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions to the UN – including Singapore, the only Asian nation to do so – while the majority of Paris Agreement signatories missed a 10 February deadline. Countries could be holding back in light of uncertainties in a post-Trump world, say observers.
The country is expected to leverage its Asean presidency to drive cooperation in the regional carbon markets. At home, Malaysia is looking to drive down emissions through a climate bill, energy sector reform and fuel subsidy cuts.
Asia Pacific nations face mounting climate costs as the world crosses the 1.5°C threshold, with extreme weather driving inflation, disaster risks and a US$815 billion annual financing gap for adaptation and resilience.
Public development banks must spearhead a systemic overhaul of global finance to ensure climate funding reaches the most vulnerable and accelerates the green transition.
Oleh
Serge Ekué dan
Javier Díaz Fajardo
The financing gap is huge, but time is short. Given the inadequacy of a promised new climate finance goal, Southeast Asia should look beyond UN-led conferences to crowd in other sources of capital to tackle the climate crisis.
Oleh
Prapimphan Chiengkul
The ‘rights of nature’ is an allied approach, but nature needs something with more and broader teeth, that can elicit a moral and political consensus on the need for nature conservation.
Oleh
Katherine Snow
Youth activists demand a global ban on solar geoengineering, warning it’s a dangerous distraction from real climate solutions and a generational betrayal.
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Mohammed Usrof, Disha Ravi, Heleen Bruggink dan Erica Njuguna
UN climate report authors need to commit to the integrity of assessment processes while working with governments with differing interests. Dr Theresa Wong tells the Eco-Business podcast why the stakes are high to get climate science right.