Asia Pacific Climate Week 2019: RDI Contribution to the Marrakech Partnership Meeting
The Asia-Pacific Climate Week for the year 2019, which took place from September 2nd to September 6th, was a significant multi-stakeholder event. Attendees included various entities such as governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), youth associations, academic institutions, and think tanks, in addition to RDI. The primary objective of this event was to promote regional initiatives and provide support for the implementation of each country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Importantly, the Asia-Pacific Climate Week served as a platform to highlight the unique climate challenges facing the region and to prepare for discussions at the 2019 UN Climate Summit and COP25.
Several notable aspects emerged from this year's event, including two key highlights: the Marrakech Partnership Meeting and the Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth (SINGG) Policy Consultation Forum.
The Marrakech Partnership Meeting facilitated in-depth discussions on the top priority issues in the Asia-Pacific region. These discussions took place in breakout groups centered around seven key thematic areas: energy, human settlements, industry, land use, oceans, transport, and water. RDI was actively engaged in the energy discussions during this meeting. RDI emphasized the significance of recognizing that the transition from fossil-fuel-based ("brown") to renewable ("green") energy is not the sole focus; there is also a critical need for electrification. In remote areas of Indonesia, the challenge extends beyond shifting away from limited energy sources to achieving widespread electrification. Furthermore, RDI advocated for the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders in the implementation of these goals, believing that this comprehensive approach would yield more significant progress.
Additionally, RDI participated in the 14th Policy Consultation Forum of the Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth, which revolved around the theme of "Enhancing and Implementing NDCs with Ambition and Transparency." The event commenced with an opening address by Stefanos Fotiou, the Director of the Environment and Development Division at UNESCAP. Dr. Riyanti Djalante provided updates from the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming (SR15), emphasizing the dangers and impacts of global warming exceeding the 1.5°C pre-industrial threshold. Dr. Djalante also delved into various sections of the SR15 report, including global emission trends and the interconnections between climate mitigation and sustainable development goals. Government officials subsequently shared their respective countries' progress on climate action. The forum concluded with detailed group discussions aimed at identifying challenges and formulating solutions for the UN ESCAP.
