Achieving Green Recovery in Asia

 At the ELEVATE Strategic Partner webinar – “A green recovery in Asia: Opportunities for concerted action” – cross-sector experts explored ways to promote sustainable, post-pandemic recovery in Asia.

Watch the highlights here:

Quote Highlights

Catherine Chen, Corporate Senior Vice President and Director of the Board, Huawei

Read Catherine Chen’s speech in full, Green Recovery in Asia: Every Step with Technology Matters, and learn more about Huawei’s sustainable solutions on the Huawei Tech for a Better Planet minisite.

“I am fully confident in not only our ability to drive technology forward, but also in the global community’s ability and determination to build a harmonious relationship with nature.”

“As we take our first steps into 2021, Huawei will remain committed to reducing our carbon emissions, pursuing new renewable energy resources, and supporting a circular economy.”

“At Huawei, we trust that every bit of technological progress we make means another step forward for green innovation.”

Dr. Vong Sok, Head of the Environment Division and Assistant Director of Sustainable Development Director at the ASEAN Secretariat

“The COVID 19 pandemic recovery should be seen as an opportunity to reexamine our relationship (and opportunity) to the natural world, to explore ways and initiatives towards more collective coordinated measures to further promote sustainable development and green recovery.”

“It’s important to note that, while international inter-governmental cooperation is important, governments will not be able to address this challenge alone.” 

Yeon-chul Yoo, Ambassador for Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea

Watch Yeon-chul Yoo’s speech in full: Green Recovery in Asia: Opportunities for Concerted Action

“As we navigate through these challenging global issues such as COVID-19 and climate change, one thing we realize is that no country can tackle them alone. Multilateral efforts are essential and perhaps the only way out.”

“As we pursue multilateral cooperation to address these challenges, it is also becoming very clear that governments cannot do it alone. We need the businesses, civil societies and the people to join in on the effort.”

“As governments seek for recovery packages, we need to make sure that this time around, we pursue green stimulus packages that will help us build back our economy in a sustainable manner.”

Asad Naqvi, the Head of Secretariat of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)

“We need to have a very, very clear plan that green recovery is not an environmental agenda. The green recovery is an agenda of increasing human development and reducing ecological footprint.” 

“I have a conviction that if we have an economy, which is low carbon, which is resource efficient, which is nature friendly and socially inclusive, that could be the vaccine for avoiding the climate crisis. And that’s where we need to move on and we need to prepare ourselves.”

“At the moment, our economies are almost at the stand still and we have a real opportunity, and also the responsibility, to design a future that we want.  This is the time when we can basically change our business norms, we can reset our economic policy, the incentive structure, especially the fiscal policy structures, our individual lifestyle choices. And that’s a big part. That’s our individual responsibility.”

Ma Aimin, Deputy Director of the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China

“Some people think China can do more. They believe China has the tradition of setting lower goals, and then over-implementing, or achieving them ahead of schedule. I can assure you, this is not true. Considering China’s size of economy, its energy consumption and CO₂ emissions, significant efforts will be required to fulfill its goals. The new targets means China will complete the process from peaking to neutrality in about 30 years.”

“To reduce CO₂ emissions, the government will encourage the development of new emerging industrial sectors, such as renewable energy, new energy vehicles, new materials.”

“We have to improve energy efficiency. For this purpose we need low carbon technologies. New technologies need to be developed and deployed, new equipment will need to be installed.”

Hyoeun Jenny Kim, Deputy Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

“Governments, the private sector, and the people should work together to achieve green transition.”

“Countries should address this crisis as an opportunity to transform their economies into more environmentally friendly and climate resilient ones.”

“We encourage our member countries to create strong enough policy environment for proactive climate action.”

Meng Liu, Head of Asia Pacific Networks at the United Nations Global Compact

“The business community can play a very important role in accelerating the 2030 agenda and the implementation of the Paris agreement on climate change. However, current efforts are still not enough and we need to scale up more.”

“The particular important role of digital infrastructure, which is of course cross-capping, and the need for technology and information infrastructure will become even more urgent and necessary in the post pandemic era.”

“We need all actors to join efforts, governments, businesses, investors, cities, regions, and even ourselves as individuals united to decarbonize our economy for a better world.”

Disclaimer: Any views and/or opinions expressed in this post by individual authors or contributors are their personal views and/or opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of Huawei Technologies.