Boao Forum report: Asia's climate challenges and green shift

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) released its annual report on Asia's efforts and challenges in addressing climate change at the forum's opening press conference on Tuesday.

The report, titled "Sustainable Development: Asia and the World Annual Report 2025 – Addressing Climate Change: Asia Going Green," contains four chapters: Climate Gap and Green Growth, Asia's Approach to Going Green, Investing in Nature as Infrastructure for Resilience Building, and Carbon Market Connectivity.

According to the report, Asia hosts nearly 60 percent of the global population and covers about 30 percent of the Earth's land area. Furthermore, the region accounted for over 50 percent of global CO2 emissions in 2023, driven by rapid industrialization and energy demand.

Citing examples such as Typhoon "Yagi" in southern China and wildfires in Indonesia over the past year, the report stated, "These incidents did not happen in isolation; they are the dire consequences of escalating climate issues, reflecting the pressing need for accelerated and comprehensive climate action."

In response, the report emphasized the urgent need for climate action in Asia, which faces disproportionate risks due to its dense population, economic reliance on fossil fuels and exposure to extreme weather events.

However, the report also noted that Asia is accelerating its green transition. "The International Energy Agency estimates a threefold growth of the clean energy technology market in the next decade. Asia is already leading the way."

For example, China is the world's largest exporter of clean technologies; India is accelerating its hydrogen energy development; Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are experiencing a surge in new energy investments; and ASEAN countries are further exploring their green potential.

Green development has created a new growth paradigm for coordinated economic, social and ecological progress across much of Asia, the report said.

The report also highlighted that achieving a green transition requires a focus on two strategic pillars: infrastructure and cross-border carbon markets.

This will be impossible without concerted efforts from governments, international organizations, businesses, civil society groups and other stakeholders, it stated.

Using the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as an example, the report suggested that institutional mechanisms should be fully leveraged to facilitate capital flows, technology exchanges and rule-making, thus driving global climate action.

The BFA Annual Conference 2025 is held from March 25 to 28 in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, with the theme "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future."