RCC Asia-Pacific was established in September 2015 by UN Climate Change and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) to provide support to governments and non-Party stakeholders including non-governmental organizations, youth, indigenous peoples, local communities, and the private sector across Asia and the Pacific.
The Centre channels local, regional and global resources into climate action to facilitate implementation of NDCs and National Adaptation Plans. This also advances roadmaps to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and other relevant policies and strategies for countries in the region. RCC Asia-Pacific supports 36 countries, including seven LDCs and 16 SIDs.
Partners Joint Statement
In 2023, the RCC Asia-Pacific, operating under the strategic partnership between the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and UN Climate Change achieved remarkable milestones. Together, we accelerated the transition of the Asia-Pacific region towards sustainability, resilience and inclusivity. As a cornerstone, RCC Asia-Pacific drove tangible climate action on the ground, ensuring the region's active participation in global climate initiatives.
Since its inception in 2015, RCC Asia-Pacific has continuously evolved its scope of support, as evidenced by the renewed Memorandum of Understanding we signed at COP 28. The expanded focus areas now encompass mitigation, adaptation, transparency, means of implementation, and cross-cutting issues such as private sector engagement, sectoral engagement, youth involvement, gender considerations, and engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. RCC Asia-Pacific's role in assisting developing country Parties with participation in Article 6 and their capacity building support for the development of nationally determined contributions underscores its commitment to fostering equitable and comprehensive climate action for all in the region. The RCC continues to be the vital link between the region and the UN Climate Change secretariat.
Throughout 2023, RCC Asia-Pacific has leveraged localized expertise and fostered regional intelligence through stakeholder mapping and convening. It has facilitated the creation and enhancement of regional networks and collaborations and thereby maximized the impacts of implementing the Paris Agreement.
RCC Asia-Pacific demonstrated its commitment to facilitating knowledge exchange, sharing best practices, and coordinating efforts among diverse stakeholders by co-organizing or participating in more than 40 events. This included active involvement to deliver a successful Asia Pacific Climate Week, covering diverse topics such as response measures and just transition, adaptation, carbon pricing approaches, long-term strategies, youth empowerment, and more. The Centre also provided direct country support, technical assistance and facilitated access to and mobilization of climate finance for mitigation and adaptation projects identified by developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
In conclusion, the work accomplished by RCC Asia-Pacific in 2023 is a testament to our shared commitment to catalyze climate action and foster regional cooperation. As we look ahead to intensifying support to developing countries in the region as the 2025 NDC submission deadline approaches, we reaffirm our dedication to innovation, inclusivity, and partnership. We look forward to jointly operationalizing the collaboration on Article 6 through the Article 6 Implementation Partnership. Both IGES and UN Climate Change remain committed to shaping a more sustainable and resilient future for the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Credit: UN Climate Change
Main Achievements in 2023
The Asia-Pacific region faces significant challenges due to climate change, with diverse impacts across its vast geography. Rising sea levels threaten low-lying coastal areas and island nations, such as the Solomon Islands and parts of Indonesia, exacerbating risks of flooding, saltwater intrusion, and erosion. Other weather events such as typhoons and droughts happen more frequently, affecting millions of people's livelihoods, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Credit: UN Climate Change
In countries like Vietnam, where large populations are reliant on agriculture, changes in temperature disrupt food production and water availability. As glaciers melt in the Himalayas, urban centres across the region, including megacities like Manila, face heightened risks from heatwaves or air pollution, and need more resilient infrastructure resilience. Indigenous communities, particularly in the Pacific Islands, experience disproportionate impacts on their traditional lifestyles and biodiversity.
Mitigating and adapting to these climate challenges require coordinated regional efforts to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while adapting to changing conditions and enhancing resilience through sustainable development and innovation.
Against this backdrop, RCC Asia-Pacific played a pivotal role throughout the year by providing localized expertise, building capacities, enhancing regional networks, and fostering collaboration. The RCC teamed up with development partners, academia, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, private sector organizations, think tanks, youth networks, local networks, women networks, financial institutes including Multilateral Development Banks, public-private enterprises and policymakers as key actors from the region towards the successful organization of Asia-Pacific Climate Week.
Credit: UN Climate Change
RCC support covered a wide range of technical issues such as assisting with two CDM standardized baselines to organizing strategic events on decarbonizing the transport sector and engaging regional stakeholders. This included work with YECAP, the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform in the region, established by UNDP in collaboration with RCC in Asia-Pacific, UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF South Asia, YOUNGO, with the support of the Swedish International Development Agency. The RCC hosted the YECAP Climate Negotiators Training 2023 in collaboration with YOUNGO and the International Youth Climate Movement. It also included identifying areas for action to support implementation of the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
In addition to these efforts, the RCC remained committed to disseminate information to subscribers with 19 newsletters, providing stakeholders with the latest news, research findings, and opportunities to engage with RCC Asia-Pacific and the UN Climate Change secretariat.
RCC Asia-Pacific was able to leverage about USD 200,000 in funding to advance work relating to Article 6, carbon pricing instruments and youth climate action in the region. In 2023, RCC Asia-Pacific work focused mainly on adaptation, Article 6 and carbon pricing approaches, NDCs and LT-LEDS, and climate finance.
Adaptation
Of the 36 developing countries supported by the RCC Asia-Pacific, only eight have submitted a NAP. As the region includes seven LDCs and 16 SIDS, RCC Asia-Pacific strives to connect these countries to support providers in the region.
For example, the RCC participated in a writing workshop organized by the LDC Expert Group to create NAPs. During the workshop, the RCC Asia-Pacific showcased how it can assist countries in connecting with various regionally accredited entities. In October, the RCC supported the Pacific Regional Gathering of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform. The event highlighted the role of the RCC as the UN Climate Change regional presence.
At the end of the year, RCC Asia-Pacific onboarded an Adaptation Specialist to better meet the identified needs of the region.
Credit: UN Climate Change
Article 6 and Carbon Pricing Approaches
Raising awareness of opportunities and challenges in non-market and market mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement was a core deliverable for this region in 2023. In a diverse region such as the Asia-Pacific, thoroughly mapping each country's needs, status, and priorities contained in NDCs is essential to designing targeted support. RCC Asia-Pacific established this database, a key 2023 deliverable for our work moving forward. More importantly, Article 6 was established as a dedicated area of support in the region, setting a clear direction to transition from the CDM.
In 2023, the RCC co-organized the ASEAN Carbon Pricing Conference, delivered the Regional Dialogues on Carbon Pricing/Article 6 at APCW 2023, conducted a clinic on corresponding adjustments for Thailand, and launched support for Laos and Mongolia under the Collaborative Instruments for Ambitious Climate Action with in-country workshops.
NDCs and LT-LEDS
All countries in the Asia-Pacific region have submitted NDCs, and 12 countries have submitted more than two NDC updates with varying levels of ambition for emission reductions. Furthermore, 13 of the 36 countries have developed LT-LEDS and 21 countries have made carbon neutrality pledges, in addition to one already carbon neutral (Niue). In 2023, RCC Asia-Pacific looked at the progress of NDC implementation and important sectors in the region, with transport and energy sectors emerging as key. These findings will be further examined in 2024 and can bolster support for the NDCs 3.0.
Credit: UN Climate Change
A series of subregional consultation and capacity-building workshops to mobilize transport ministries and key stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific to help advance the goals of the Paris Agreement through transport strategies. A subregional workshop was dedicated to the East and North-East Asia and North and Central Asia subregions in which the RCC participated.
RCC Asia-Pacific co-organized a capacity building training for LT-LEDS at the Regional Climate Week with the NDC Partnership and UNDP Climate Promise, with technical support from the 2050 Pathways Platform, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the Asia LEDS Partnership. Taking regional needs into account, the event provided knowledge, skills, and networks to effectively develop, implement, and monitor LT-LEDS. It encouraged collaboration among countries, organizations and stakeholders involved in LT-LEDS processes.
Climate Finance
In the Asia-Pacific region, Needs-based Finance aims to facilitate access to and mobilization of climate finance for priority mitigation and adaptation projects identified by developing countries. RCC Asia-Pacific is heavily involved in the project, which held a series of workshops for target subregions in 2023. Now, focus will shift to developing proposals for specific sectors and priority areas in ASEAN and Central Asia and South Caucasus countries.
Credit: UN Climate Change
UN Global Compact Malaysia and Brunei is pleased to collaborate with RCC Asia-Pacific, a valued partner whose efforts have been instrumental in advancing regional sustainability.
In 2023, UNGCMYB and RCC Asia-Pacific co-organized the event Reshaping Tomorrow: Asian Private Sector Leadership in Climate Action and Resilience. The event brought together C-suite leaders, executive directors of UN Global Compact Regional Networks, and gender and youth panelists from the region. The roundtable focused on Asian private sector leaders who embarked on successful decarbonization journeys that translate to broader societal benefits. The event also focused on supporting a transition to decent quality jobs and building inclusive societies.
Furthermore, at the UNGCMYB Sustainability Celebration Night in 2023, RCC Asia-Pacific was one of the highlighted partners making a positive mark on sustainability and inspiring others to integrate sustainability into their business strategies. UNGCMYB was also privileged to be one of UN Climate Change’s host to deliver a successful Asia Pacific Climate Week 2023 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, an opportunity facilitated by our partnership with RCC Asia-Pacific.
UNGCMYB joins RCC Asia-Pacific in its collaborative approach to accelerating climate action in the region. We look forward to continued efforts to inspire positive change within the business community and significantly contribute to achieving the UN SDGs. We also look forward to collaborating closely in 2024 as we move forward in this critical time of climate action.