Climate change is no more just a scientific theory — it’s an issue that threatens to affect development progress in the whole world, with Asia-Pacific at the forefront.
Climate discussions have intensified and resources mobilized, but policymakers need to do more to translate their words into actions, and ensure their adaptation and mitigation funding translate to results.
The longer we wait, the higher the risk countries face, particularly the Asia-Pacific the region, and so the solution must be comprehensive, according to a senior official at the Asian Development Bank.
“For many developing countries … climate change issues are essentially development issues,” Cyn-Young Park, assistant chief economist and head of economic analysis and operations support at ADB’s Economics Research Department, told Devex. “Better economic growth and resilience, improved infrastructure and connectivity, and enhanced regional trade and integration, all of which would work toward increasing the region’s defense against climate change.”
The recent devastation inflicted by Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines is a grim example of how climate change can have huge economic, political and social costs to a country. The total cost of the damage alone in the hardest-hit areas is estimated at around $800 million, according to latest data from the country’s local disaster management bureau.
And that’s just the top of the iceberg.
The effects of climate change will intensify in the future, and calamities like Haiyan will become more common, with Asia-Pacific as the most vulnerable region, according to a report on the economic costs of climate change recently published by the bank.
Solutions
So how to move forward from this? By fast-tracking global efforts to adapt to and mitigate the effects of global warming, said Park.
The ADB report suggested three ways to put climate change at the center of the agenda for governments and multilateral organizations:
Make climate change a priority in development planning.
Turn adaptation strategies into more forward-looking plans with a focus on local empowerment and engagement.
Climate-proof infrastructures and national budgets, and improve access to those funds.
“[Countries] need to mainstream climate change in their development planning,” explained Park. “Start with low-regret options, such as improving infrastructure and disaster risk management, as well as water storage and management.”
Climate-proofing the budget is gaining traction as it has been an ongoing effort in the Philippines, one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. The country’s budget undersecretary and chief information officer, Richard Bon Moya, said the effort may be finally implemented by next year.
“We have been climate-proofing the budget, involving the Climate Change Commission that runs through each and every budget of the national government agencies and try to climate proof that,” he said.
In 2010, the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change established the Green Climate Fund to assist developing countries in their adaptation and mitigation efforts, with the ultimate goal of raising $100 billion by 2020. But three years later, the fund remains practically empty.
Park admitted there is “no easy answer” to the question of where to get funding. Learning to stand on your own feet may be the prevailing mindset for developing countries in the next few years in facing climate change, but the whole world needs to face this challenge together.
“The developing countries need to play an active and leading role in making their economies climate and disaster-resilient,” she concluded. “The international community and the donor group should be ready to provide financial and technical assistance in the adaptation and disaster risk management of developing countries.”
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About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
