Climate change is a global challenge affecting countries in various ways: floods, glacier melt, heatwaves, sea-level rise and droughts. Currently, Europe is experiencing intense heatwaves, sparking wildfires and posing serious health risks. Media reports suggest that Spain and England recorded their hottest June on record.
Meanwhile, South Asia is grappling with severe flooding. Pakistan is currently experiencing flash floods that have resulted in the tragic loss of lives. Wildfires have also wreaked havoc from California to Australia. According to WWF Australia, “Up to 19 million hectares was burnt, with 12.6 million hectares primarily forests and woodlands. Nearly 3 billion animals were impacted by the blazes in Australia in 2019–2020.”
Another serious concern is the rapid melting of glaciers, particularly in the Arctic and Himalayan regions. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in a video message during the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad or ‘Everest Dialogue’, organised by the government of Nepal in Kathmandu, warned that Himalayan glaciers are “caving in”, and called for urgent action to address the climate crisis especially in the world’s most fragile ecosystems.
In Asia, many countries face common climate change-related disasters. Pakistan, India, China and Nepal lie beneath some of the world’s largest glaciers, which are melting at an alarming rate. Similarly, South Asia is highly prone to flooding. According to Unicef (2024), “More than six million children in South Asia are at risk following severe torrential rains, flash floods, and landslides that have devastated the region, leaving many homeless”.
In addition, China, Pakistan and India face the recurring challenge of heavy smog every winter. According to a World Bank report, “nine out of the world’s 10 cities with the worst air pollution are in South Asia”. Likewise, the Asia-Pacific region is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels resulting from climate change. According to the Asian Development Bank, “about 12 million people in 23 East Asian cities are at risk of severe flooding from rising sea levels”.
Climate change disasters are impacting the entire world in one form or another, creating socio-economic challenges on a global scale. This common problem requires common solutions through cooperation and collaboration. Effective climate diplomacy at both regional and global levels can foster connectivity, open avenues for cooperation, and help resolve conflicts. All nations in the Asian region face shared climate challenges, which also present opportunities for collective solutions.
Several policy recommendations exist for enhancing regional connectivity through climate diplomacy. A five-step strategy is needed to promote green practices across the region.
First, we must identify the best sustainable practices already in place. For instance, China has launched a robust campaign to reduce smog. According to the UNEP, Beijing has made significant progress in curbing vehicle emissions, promoting electric mobility, and improving air quality for its 21 million citizens. As a close ally of Pakistan, with multiple joint ventures under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China can serve as a valuable partner in helping Pakistan tackle its own smog crisis.
Similarly, Bhutan is the first and only country to have negative carbon emissions. This achievement is largely due to its vast forest cover and reliance on low-carbon hydroelectricity, which enables it to offset regional carbon emissions.
Many Central Asian states are also prioritising green tourism as a sustainable development path. Pakistan, too, is taking several steps toward sustainability, such as promoting electric vehicles, allocating budget for water reservoirs, pursuing reforestation, launching the Punjab Green Credit Program, and implementing the Green Pakistan initiative.
The second step is to highlight and promote these regional success stories to raise awareness and spread knowledge. The third and fourth steps involve learning from and sharing these initiatives through collective efforts and a collaborative approach. The fifth step is to implement these sustainable practices and projects in each country, working together to emerge as a sustainable region on the global stage.
This five-step strategy also requires formal structures for effective implementation. Two additional recommendations are proposed to institutionalise this strategy at the regional level.
First, we need to establish the South Asia Climate Change Organisation (SACCO) to develop a formal mechanism for deliberations and cooperation at the diplomatic level in the South Asian region. Under the umbrella of SAACO, states can share knowledge and technology. They can design a strategy as a region to highlight their vulnerability to climate-led disasters at the annual climate change conference (COP). They can also strengthen their regional climate finance to emerge as a strong market.
Another important avenue for climate change cooperation at the regional level can be the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The establishment of a ministerial-level Climate Change Council (CCC) under the SCO can be a possible strategy for climate diplomacy in this region to successfully implement the five-step strategy.
Our region is facing the brunt of climate change disasters, threatening the socio-economic backbone of many countries. We need to establish formal structures through climate diplomacy to enhance regional connectivity. Through strong alliances and collective efforts in the region, they can raise a stronger voice at the international level for climate justice and security.
The writer is a graduate of the University of Oxford in Public Policy. She tweets/posts @zilehumma_1 and can be reached at: [email protected]
