Asia is at a crossroads. It is the world’s most populous region, it accounts for a rising share of global greenhouse gas emissions, and it is the region most vulnerable to climate risks. Low-Carbon Green Growth in Asia: Policies and Practices recognizes that in order to develop the region, low-carbon green growth is imperative. This volume reviews the low-carbon policy initiatives taken by Asian countries at the national, sectoral, and local levels while assessing their achievements, identifying the remaining gaps, and examining new opportunities.
It also notes that actions taken by several Asian countries to date have been both impressive and replicable and that the region’s commitment to low-carbon green growth represents a move away from the old economic notion of “grow first and clean later.” However, emerging Asia’s carbon emissions remain high, and failure to act swiftly could increase mitigation costs by two to five times and lock in a high-carbon footprint for decades to come.
