Climate change is one of the greatest environmental issues of our time and the Asia- Pacific region is already experiencing its adverse impacts. Studies suggest that the costs of inaction on reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, the main source of climate change, would be many times the costs of action. The energy system is the main contributor to climate change, representing a predominate share of total greenhouse (GHG) emissions and consequently the effort to tackle climate change has become a major driver of energy policy. Specifically, the Asia-Pacific region is in dire need of transitioning to a low-carbon future.
Regionally, the Asia-Pacific region in some aspects is considered to be particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change relative to other regions. The region is comprised of many developing countries, home for more than half of the global population and the largest number of the world’s poor. It is also the largest recipient, and spender, of climate related finance, although finance flows unevenly among countries. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are increasing in the region, especially in large Asian countries due to economic development and rapid population growth. The region had made strong commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the Paris Agreement.
The blessing is the increased number of innovations for low-carbon development. Lowcarbon development commitments have increased significantly following the adoption of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. Besides, in 2015 through COP 21 in Paris, the Parties emphasizing with serious concern the urgent need to reduce fossil fuel energy used of Parties’ mitigation pledges aggregate emission pathways consistent with holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 20 degrees Celcius above pre-industrial level and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celcius above pre-industrial level. The COP reminded that enhancing capacity is the main issue on facing climate change after more than two decades of global climate action. Renewable energy and climate policy, as well as non-state actors are key aspects to address renewable energy uses optimally and needs for NDC implementation in developing country Parties in the context of Paris Agreement.
Therefore this international conference is dedicated to enhance the stakeholders engagement to support the developing country Parties through addressing problems and challenges of low-carbo development issues especially in Asia Pacific region. The conference aims to provide a forum to share ideas and lesson learned among policy makers, business communities, organizations and researchers from around the world, especially Asia Pacific countries on recent developments in various aspects of lowcarbon development issues.