- Asia has been a net exporter of CO2 emissions, spurred by its rapid economic growth and industrialization.
- Transition into more services-driven economy and cleaner technologies will help reduce carbon intensities in Asia
- To integrate climate action into trade and investment policies, the region needs to promote trade and investment in environmental goods and services, nurture green businesses, enhance international cooperation on regulations, and foster carbon pricing mechanisms.
Trade and investment play an outsized role in the economic development of the Asia and Pacific region, but it has come with unintended environmental costs. Asia and the Pacific is on the frontline of climate change and is responsible for about half of global annual carbon dioxide emissions. The webinar will present key findings of the theme chapter of the Asian Economic Integration Report 2023 on Trade, Investment, and Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific, and discuss how the right mix of policies and governance systems can make trade and investment an important part of the climate solution.
