Page 8 - AsiaElec Week 46 2021

AsiaElec COP26 AsiaElec

Southeast Asia & Pacific to

benefit from COP26

ASIA AS the world looks back at COP26, still trying to too little, too late, said there is “no greater threat
separate the positive steps taken from resound- to our Pacific family than climate change.”
ing claims from environmentalist groups of it Sources in Australia indicate that around
having failed, Australia, Japan and the United $700mn of the total will be set aside specifically
Kingdom have each made financial pledges for use in the Pacific states most affected over
towards addressing ongoing climate issues in the next three years, with Mr. Morrison saying:
Southeast Asia and across the Pacific that have “Australia’s assistance will support Pacific and
not gone unnoticed in the region. Southeast Asian countries to enhance climate
Leading the way is Japan with a pledge of up resilience for future infrastructure investment,
to $10bn over the next five years, primarily to including roads, schools and bridges. It will
aid in Southeast Asian nations’ moving towards also drive private sector-led climate solutions
eventual zero carbon emissions in their own that support clean technology, jobs and growth
right. across our region.”
Speaking in Glasgow, recently appointed Jap- Having been criticised several times in recent
anese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said: “Japan years for failing to meet non-binding commit-
will press forward (to) undertake efforts toward ments made at COP16 in Copenhagen, Den-
net zero emissions in Asia, the engine of global mark, in 2009, the Australian Prime Minister
economic growth.” added “We must empower and enable devel-
Japan’s commitment to its neighbours is just oping countries to industrialise and lift their
the latest example of Tokyo leading by example incomes and standards of living in a new, decar-
in Asia after a promise to contribute $60bn in bonised energy economy.”
‘climate finance’ earlier in the year. Washington DC-based non-profit research
The Japanese Prime Minister was speaking organisation World Resources Institute added
less than a week after being given the nation’s to the pressure on Canberra as a regional power-
top political post, and in making his first global house by claiming Australia needs to up the ante
address, went on to refer to efforts at home to cut and spend up to $3bn each year to effectively
emissions as Tokyo seeks to reduce overall emis- contribute to limiting global warming in line
sions by 46% by the end of the current decade, with its standing in the world.
then push towards an eventual zero emissions Staying relevant in the region, the United
goal by 2050. Kingdom this year has repeatedly made efforts
In announcing this, Mr. Kishida went off to increase relations across the Indo-Pacific as
script somewhat, surprising some in Tokyo, by it looks to engage with the Trans-Pacific Part-
upping the pre-announced 46% figure, saying nership and ASEAN nations, so it came as no
(Japan) aims to “continue strenuous efforts in real surprise to see a donation of GBP290mn
its challenge to meet the lofty goal of cutting its ($390mn) towards aiding climate action pro-
emissions by 50%” grammes in the region.
Australia, meanwhile, has pledged an addi- Speaking as the COP26 ended in Scotland,
tional $500mn on top of $2bn already promised, the United Kingdom’s International Trade
to specifically aid South East Asian and offshore Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said the global
Pacific Island nations address their own climate community “must act now” and that all those
issues. pledging finances are “aiming for significant
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, despite being change.” ™
continually attacked on the home front for doing

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 46 17•November•2021