Asean needs to be at frontline of changes to climate policies: UN chief
[JAKARTA] The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) needs to be at the frontline of policy changes aimed at addressing global warming and climate change, said the United Nations chief on Thursday (Sep 7).
This is because Asean member states are particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, said Antonio Guterres, who was addressing the media while he was in Jakarta, Indonesia to meet leaders from the region.
“Asean has a moral authority that, in my opinion, is very important to be put on the table in order to accelerate the response to the catastrophic evolution we are witnessing,” said Guterres, who attended several meetings that were part of the 43rd Asean Summit hosted by Indonesia.
He added that the United Nations counts on Asean’s leadership to accelerate carbon emissions reduction and to promote climate justice around the world.
He commended Indonesia and Vietnam for their energy transition efforts in inking the Just Energy Transition Partnerships – deals that both nations struck with the G7 countries and several private-sector financial institutions to mobilise public and private sector finance towards the decarbonisation of their economies.
“Asean can set an example to the world – as a global green economic powerhouse and trailblazer of an energy transition that is sustainable, just, inclusive and equitable,” said Guterres in his opening remarks at the media conference.
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Again, he brought up his proposed Climate Solidarity Pact – in which all big emitters make extra effort to cut emissions, and wealthier countries mobilise financial and technical resources to support emerging economies.
To achieve this pact, he has come up with a plan called the Acceleration Agenda. It calls on developed countries to reach net-zero emissions as close as possible to 2040, and emerging economies as close as possible to 2050.
Guterres repeated the need for governments to change their policies, as the world would be moving towards a 2.8 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures if nothing is being done.
He highlighted that the recent months of June, July and August was officially the hottest three-month period on record.
“The so-called dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting. Our planet has endured a summer of simmering – the hottest summer on record,” he added.
While it is still possible to avoid the worst of climate change, Guterres warned that time is running out.
He also talked about the need to reform the global financial architecture, to make it representative of today’s economic and political realities, and more responsive to the needs of developing economies.
Besides establishing an effective debt workout mechanism to support payment suspensions, longer lending terms and lower rates, he added that there is a need to increase liquidity by rechannelling an additional US$100 billion of unused Special Drawing Rights through multilateral development banks.
Using this model proposed by the African Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank would multiply resources by at least fivefold.
He also added that a minimum of US$500 billion is needed annually to help attain the UN sustainable development goals.
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