Asian Actions and Reactions on Climate Change

After months of lobbying, finally we know for sure that COP is coming to Asia next year. The State of Qatar will host COP18 in Doha from 26 November to 7 December 2012, whereas the Republic of South Korea will organize the ministerial meeting to prepare for COP18. The announcement didn’t come as smoothly as was expected. This was the first time in UNFCCC history that the decision to select the following year’s host got delayed so much. Both South Korea and Qatar raced quite aggressively to host the climate summit. Indeed, COP18 in 2012 will be a landmark in climate negotiations as it will mark the end of Kyoto’s first commitment period and set the future course of the climate regime.

Already people are having different expectations and doubts about Qatar’s ability to host such an event. But an Asian COP can certainly be a good opportunity for Asiatic countries to lead the world towards low carbon development and green economy. It would also be an interesting meeting to look forward to, especially to see how G77 countries would react to issues involved in COP18.

But that’s till then. Right now, a lot’s going on in Asia outside the realm of UNFCCC negotiations. From Afghanistan to Yemen, people and governments are taking actions in their respective capacities against climate change. Maldives, for example, is set to become carbon neutral by 2020. The Philippines, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are among the countries that have made ambitious plans for adaptation, emissions cuts, and renewable investments. South Korea has already championed itself in green economy. China has gone far ahead in energy race, compared with some developed nations. In coming years, Asia has the potential to become a leader in green growth and development.

But how do people in Asia see current global action on climate change? While talking to few delegates from Asia here in Durban, they seem pretty pessimistic about COPs. Like Thishya Weragoda, a youth delegate from SriLanka, who sees COP as nothing more than just a “passing the ball” event that allows many people to get funded trips to foreign countries. Or like Rizwan Nabin from Bangladesh who is ‘frustrated’ with the way countries are “playing dirty politics in the negotiations and ignoring the science behind climate change”.

Reading the new Germanwatch’s report that came out here in Durban, which ranks Pakistan as the top country suffered the most from extreme weather events in 2010, I am at unease with the governments and negotiators here, who for their petty self interests jeopardize the survival of millions of people around the world. Is it so easy to ignore what the world is demanding out of these talks? If we don’t take action now, it’ll be too late!

So while COP is coming to Asia next year, let’s just not wait for things to get finalized then. Durban needs to sort out the work that got started in Cancun and all issues pending. We need to understand that if we drop the ball here in Durban, the game will be lost forever!