Addressing climate change essential to economic recovery and growth

Singapore, 14 July 2009 - "Growth strategies of the future must take account of climate change," says Ravi Menon, 2009 Chair for APEC Senior Officials.

As members of government and academic spheres assemble at the APEC Climate Symposium (13 - 15 July), the resounding consensus is that climate change is a central social, economic and political issue.

"This is global warming's Tipping Point," says Michael H. Glantz, Director of the Consortium for Capacity Building, explaining that the once-debated concept of climate change is now widely acknowledged to produce quite dramatic effects. "By the end of the century, this may be declared the Climate Century because everything we do, every decision we make is in response."

Evidence of increased global warming can be seen throughout the entire Asia-Pacific and this compounds the effects of the global economic crisis - particularly for developing economies. Enabling economies to anticipate and adapt to climate change is therefore fundamental to economic recovery and sustainable growth.

APEC 2009, says Menon, will "address the issue of how we can make growth more inclusive" and has cited climate change among the challenges to be addressed as APEC shapes strategies for post-crisis growth.

This comes in the lead-up to meetings of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, and after the failure of last week's G8 Summit to garner the commitment of the world's largest developing economies to specific emission goals.

The APEC Climate Symposium will contribute to a Global Framework of Climate Services to be agreed at the World Climate Conference 3 as well as to year-end negotiations at the Copenhagen Climate Conference 2009.