ASEAN’s Commitments to Climate Change at U.N. COP26 – A Summary

ASEAN’s Commitments to Climate Change at U.N. COP26 – A Summary

Ahead of United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change COP26 (U.N. COP26), ASEAN member states were already gearing up to transmit clean energy through regional power grid with pilots scheduled for as early as 2022. This project could itself further ASEAN integration strategies and the region can work together for each other to mitigate climate change effects.

ASEAN Member States have released a joint statement at the 26th U.N. confederation of parties on 26 October 2021 uging developed nations to support their net zero emission ambitions through climate finance, transfer of environmentally sound technology, scientific research, and capacity building.

Here is the summary

  • ASEAN Member States (AMS) have reaffirmed the commitments to UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement by strengthening ASEAN’s capabilities to prevent, mitigate and manage climate-related disasters through existing mechanisms; promoting sustainable management of forests; continuing to achieve substantial progress of the energy efficiency programme welcoming cross-ASEAN pillar cooperation; and acknowledging Brunei Darussalam’s ASEAN 2021 Chairmanship Initiatives of establishing the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change in Brunei Darussalam
  • AMS call upon parties to the UNFCCC and its Paris agreement to enhance their respective contributions in advancing low GHG emissions and climate-resilient development
  • AMS feels that there is a need to formulate and communicate their long-term low GHG emissions development strategies together with enhancing scientific research on climate change’s effects on the entire Earth system.
  • AMS call upon parties to the UNFCCC and its Paris agreement to expedite the completion of pending negotiation issues regarding terms of reference of the Consultative Group of Experts (GCE), the development of common reporting tables, common tabular formats under the Enhanced
    Transparency Framework and common time frames for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
  • AMS urged developed countries to undertake a clear and comprehensive evaluation and stock-take Of the pre-2020 commitments, fulfil developed nations’ commitment Of mobilizing USD 100 billion per year by 2020 through 2025 to support the implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions of developing countries including AMS, continue and further scale up the mobilization of climate finance, and take the lead by enhancing mitigation ambition including setting net-zero emission targets with concrete policy and implementation.
  • The member states feel that there is a need to strengthen support for AMS and other developing countries to analyze climate risks, formulate and implement adaptation measures
  • AMS and other developing countries should be able to access climate finance from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Adaptation Fund (AF) and this should be should be ensured and facilitated.
  • “AMS urged developed country parties to enhance international cooperation and assistance, on the provision of timely, effective, adequate and predictable support to AMS and other developing countries for financing, the development and transfer of environmentally sound technology, scientific research, and capacity building, for mitigation and adaptation measures, as stipulated under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.”
  • AMS stressed On the need for alignment in economic recovery plans and stimulus packages in the context of COVID-19 crisis, and urge developed country parties to intensify their efforts in providing financial, technological and capacity support to AMS and other developing countries in fighting COVID-19 and climate change sustainably.
  • AMS call upon parties to the UNFCCC to consider how to better understand the impact of climate change on oceans while respecting the mandate and competencies of other international legal frameworks and processes such as United Nations Convention for the Law of the SEA (UNCLOS)
  • You can read the joint statement here