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Gensuo JiaGensuo Jia

Key Lab of Regional Climate-Environment for East AsiaChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)jiong@tea.ac.cn

2012-04-24 Cape Town2012-04-24 Cape Town

Towards a Sustainable Asia: GreeTowards a Sustainable Asia: Green Transition and Innovationn Transition and Innovation

---- Key Findings of the AASA SDA ReportKey Findings of the AASA SDA Report

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ContentsContents

BackgroundBackground Project objectives, methodology, and

Progress Key findings and recommendations

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Challenges for Asia’s Sustainability Challenges for Asia’s Sustainability

Population increase, 4 bn, the biggest population in thPopulation increase, 4 bn, the biggest population in the worlde world

Poverty alleviationPoverty alleviation Declining natural resources and Degrading environmeDeclining natural resources and Degrading environme

nt as global factories and warehousent as global factories and warehouse Energy supply/demand and securityEnergy supply/demand and security Increase of GHG emissionsIncrease of GHG emissions Cultural diversity shocked by globalization, and rapid iCultural diversity shocked by globalization, and rapid i

ndustrialization and urbanizationndustrialization and urbanization Crossroad: from labor/energy intensity to efficiency? Crossroad: from labor/energy intensity to efficiency?

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Ecological Ecological Crisis: Crisis:

Most vulnerable to climate change

impacts

Economic Economic Crisis: Crisis:

Fast growth led by export

Resource Resource Crisis: Crisis:

Rising Oil price

Asia will suffer most by the Triple CrisisAsia will suffer most by the Triple Crisis

Source: UNESCAP

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Opportunities in new ContextOpportunities in new Context

Financial crisis, restoration and innovation in East Asia, green recovery?green recovery?

Addressing climate change, Asia’s common actions?Asia’s common actions? Under the context of globalization, how to make win-win how to make win-win

economic growth sustainable?economic growth sustainable? How to Improve communication and cooperationHow to Improve communication and cooperation is the

foundation to push Green growth and Sustainable Development in Asian countries

“Sustainable Development in Asia” (SDA) project was initiated by the AASA in 2007

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ContentsContents

BackgroundBackground Project objectives, methodology, and

Progress Key findings and recommendations

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ObjectivesObjectives

Objectives of the SDA project launched by AASA:Objectives of the SDA project launched by AASA: Strengthening mutual understandingStrengthening mutual understanding among countries / among countries /

regions and realizing a sustainable future in Asiaregions and realizing a sustainable future in Asia Improving cooperationImproving cooperation among academies in Asia and among academies in Asia and

providing policy recommendations on SD through joint providing policy recommendations on SD through joint research on common concernsresearch on common concerns

Taking common actionsTaking common actions and policy recommendations and policy recommendations

Four science groups were established:Four science groups were established: Natural resource; environment and climate change; energy; Natural resource; environment and climate change; energy;

and culture and heritage and culture and heritage

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MethodologyMethodology

International workshops & coordinative International workshops & coordinative meetings (26 member academies) meetings (26 member academies)

Literature review and Empirical analysisLiterature review and Empirical analysisCase Study: best practicesCase Study: best practicesComprehensive assessmentComprehensive assessment

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Outputs: Book series Outputs: Book series

Title of Book series: Title of Book series: Towards a Sustainable AsiaTowards a Sustainable Asia

Synthesis report:Synthesis report: Green Transition and InnovationGreen Transition and Innovation

Thematic reports:Thematic reports: EnergyEnergy Natural ResourcesNatural Resources Environment and Climate ChangeEnvironment and Climate Change The Cultural PerspectivesThe Cultural Perspectives

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ContentsContents

BackgroundBackground Project objectives, methodology, and

Progress Key findings and recommendations

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Key Finding 1: Asian Development Key Finding 1: Asian Development Model (ADM) is facing challenges Model (ADM) is facing challenges

Global economic context changed due to global issues like Global economic context changed due to global issues like financial crisis and climate changefinancial crisis and climate change

Some Asian countries are losing their transitional Some Asian countries are losing their transitional comparative advantages comparative advantages

Shortage of resources and energy, and limitation of Shortage of resources and energy, and limitation of environmental carrying-capacityenvironmental carrying-capacity

A new Asian Development Model should be shaped as A new Asian Development Model should be shaped as green, green, low-carbon, smart, innovative, cooperative, and inclusivelow-carbon, smart, innovative, cooperative, and inclusive

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CConventionalonventional vs.vs. greengreen growth modelgrowth model

Quantity of Growth, focusing on

Maximizing GDP, Production

&Consumption

“Grow First, Clean Up

Later”

Market Cost Efficiency

Green Green GrowthGrowth

Quality of Quality of Growth: Growth:

quality of life, well-being and ecological

sustainability

Eco-efficiency

Source: UNESCAP

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Key Finding 2: Green transition will be Key Finding 2: Green transition will be crucial to a new ADM crucial to a new ADM

Green transition: Green transition: New ways of manufacturing and servicesNew ways of manufacturing and services Green/eco-efficient technologiesGreen/eco-efficient technologies From fossil-fuel dependent to renewable From fossil-fuel dependent to renewable Green jobs to meet MDGsGreen jobs to meet MDGs Green consumption and lifestyleGreen consumption and lifestyle New development model/governanceNew development model/governance

Green Asia: traditional knowledge + high techGreen Asia: traditional knowledge + high tech

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BUSINESS AS USUAL

(Grow first, clean-up later)GREEN GROWTH

Ecological price

Ecological efficiency

Quality of growthQuantity of growth

Economic efficiency

Market price ≠

<

Source: UNESCAP

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Key Finding 3: Green innovation is Key Finding 3: Green innovation is key/bridge to green transition key/bridge to green transition

S & T Innovation should be basis for green S & T Innovation should be basis for green transition transition

Innovation priority should be differential based Innovation priority should be differential based on local socio-economic conditionson local socio-economic conditions

Innovation includes both technology and non-tech Innovation includes both technology and non-tech aspects, in particular, policy, regulation, and aspects, in particular, policy, regulation, and institutional arrangements; institutional arrangements; policy-driving policy-driving innovationinnovation

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Strategic framework for green Strategic framework for green transition in Asiatransition in Asia

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Key Finding 4: Models/experiences are Key Finding 4: Models/experiences are available for green transition in Asiaavailable for green transition in Asia

Advantages as later comers of modernization and transition Advantages as later comers of modernization and transition Government commitment and political willGovernment commitment and political willCultural tradition with respect for and living in harmony Cultural tradition with respect for and living in harmony

with naturewith natureThe largest potential green marketThe largest potential green marketIncreasingly innovative practice and market-based Increasingly innovative practice and market-based

instrument applicationinstrument applicationBest practice for sustainable development in Asian and other Best practice for sustainable development in Asian and other

countriescountries

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Asia initiatives towards greener economiesAsia initiatives towards greener economiesGuiding principles

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China:Annual growth rate over 100% during 2004-2009 25.8 GW in 2009, over 5 times of projection of the Plan in 2007 National Target: wind provides 15% power by 2020

Renewable energy: Wind powerRenewable energy: Wind power

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Grid integration for renewableGrid integration for renewable

25% Renewable Electricity by 2025:•$500 billion new investment

•>1 million new jobs•~750 million-tons-CO2/yr

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Fuel Consumption Limits in Selected Fuel Consumption Limits in Selected EconomiesEconomies

EUChina

Source ： CATARC

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Efficient appliances: Maker-userEfficient appliances: Maker-user

Can save 12%

of residential electricity use in China in 2020.

Role of major manufacturers?

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Recommendation: Build regional partnership Recommendation: Build regional partnership for green transitionfor green transition

A new regional cooperation model with multi-track A new regional cooperation model with multi-track collaboration, bi-lateral and multi-lateral, in terms of collaboration, bi-lateral and multi-lateral, in terms of different advantage and responsibility different advantage and responsibility

Establish an Asia Green Transition Fund for technology Establish an Asia Green Transition Fund for technology transfer, best practice sharing, etc. transfer, best practice sharing, etc.

Prioritized fields for cooperation:Prioritized fields for cooperation: Low cost renewable and low-carbon technology Low cost renewable and low-carbon technology Regional resource and environmental security Regional resource and environmental security Improvement of regional environmental qualityImprovement of regional environmental quality Smart growth and green transitionSmart growth and green transition country pathway to green futurecountry pathway to green future

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Take Home MessagesTake Home Messages

- SD - SD Cooperation mechanisms: International Cooperation mechanisms: International treaties (treaties (e.g. Agenda 21, UNFCCCe.g. Agenda 21, UNFCCC) vs. market?) vs. market?

- High-tech - High-tech localized green solutions localized green solutions (combine with (combine with local knowledge and skills)local knowledge and skills)

- Lead or follow?- Lead or follow?…………

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Thank YouGensuo JIAGensuo JIAChinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesKey Lab of Regional Climate-Environment for East AsiaKey Lab of Regional Climate-Environment for East Asiajiong@tea.ac.cnjiong@tea.ac.cn