Asia-Pacific may quickly become major cause of climate change

ASIA and the Pacific are at a critical crossroad.

In recent decades, rapid development has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty while bringing the region to higher living standards.

Along with this economic expansion has been a rise in environmental pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions.

Today, the countries of developing Asia account for about one-third of global emissions, both from energy consumption and from deforestation and land use. In the case of energy, this represents a tripling of Asia’s share over the past 30 years.

It is imperative that we escalate our efforts to put the region on a path of low-carbon growth. Unless measures are taken now, Asia’s share of global greenhouse gas emissions could increase to more than 40 percent by 2030—quickly making this region the main driver of climate change.

Intense negotiations are underway toward a new agreement on how the world will collectively address the climate change challenge. There are promising signs that we will see meaningful progress in Copenhagen later this year. Progress was made last week in Bonn as the global community moved closer to a shared vision looking beyond 2012.

Many Asian and Pacific countries have developed action plans both for mitigating emissions, and coping with the impacts of climate change on their economies and societies.

And a number of countries have sought ways to stimulate economic demand while simultaneously laying the groundwork for more climate-friendly development.

At the recent Asean-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, participants explored opportunities to expand cooperation in so-called green growth measures, including development of renewable energy and other environmentally sustainable technologies.

Such actions will help countries generate long-term economic growth and sustainable jobs as they position themselves for clean, resilient, innovative, resource efficient and low-carbon growth.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will contribute to such efforts.

In fact, ADB has made responding to climate change a top priority. Last year, it provided nearly $1.7 billion for projects with clean energy components, far exceeding the $1-billion target.

Among others, ADB initiatives include wind power projects in the People’s Republic of China and India and energy-efficient lighting for low-income households in the Philippines.

ADB is supporting the improvement and expansion of mass transit systems in several Asian cities. And it is developing with partners initiatives that integrate forest protection and sustainable land use while capturing benefits from carbon sequestration.

With respect to climate change adaptation, we must quickly improve our understanding of rising risks to development and find the most cost-effective measures to address these risks. Building climate resilient economies demands attention to development planning based on our rapidly evolving understanding of the pace and scope of climate impacts.

ADB is analyzing the implications of the climate challenge on energy and agriculture in Asia, and the serious impacts on livelihood and displacement due to climate change.

It has joined the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency to sponsor an analysis of the likely climate impacts on the large Asian coastal cities of Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and Jakarta.

The ADB created a $40-million Climate Change Fund last year, and it recently supplemented this with a further $40-million Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, partly in acknowledgement of the growing risks from weather-related natural disasters.

Strong partnerships hold the key to success. –Haruhiko Kuroda President, Asian Development Bank, Manila Times