The meeting’s postponement to November 2021 should not equate with inaction. More than ever, there is recognition that the climate challenge must be addressed. Otherwise, the global community risks an existential crisis many times worse than the current pandemic.

Some countries have strengthened their commitments. The European Union announced a pathfinding “Green Deal” which aims for the continent to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030, and become climate neutral by 2050. Allied to recovery from the pandemic, the EU will spend nearly 550 billion euros (US$65.14 billion) on climate initiatives over the next seven years.

Asian climate leadership is also growing, with three major economies pledging recently to decarbonize their economies towards net-zero goals – Japan and South Korea by 2050, and China by 2060.

There is even some optimism from the United States. While the country has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, this coincided with the presidential elections. President-elect Joe Biden has already declared the intention to rejoin the Agreement after he is in office.

But as 2020 nears its close, attention on addressing climate change has notably increased. Our region is especially exposed to threats from climate change, including sea level rise and changes in weather that can impact agriculture and food production. The recent severe floods hitting Indo-China and the Philippines are but one reminder of the vulnerabilities.

Each country in the region has recognized the risks and accepted the Paris Agreement. Each has pledged to reduce emissions and energy consumption, or increase the use of clean energy, among other goals. But the path to implementation is not easy, especially as attention and resources have been diverted to managing the pandemic.

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