Last Update 05 June, 2023

With the increasing threat of climate change, more and more organisations and governments are making concerted efforts to be more environmentally friendly. But the road to sustainability is a rocky one. In 2020, the Thailand government announced a ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores, to decrease waste and debris in the sea, but it is still unable to address the large volume of plastic trash being dumped into the country. In 2018, Singapore established the carbon pricing tax in order to reduce emissions, create green growth opportunities, and transition to an energy-efficient low-carbon economy. Despite this, in 2021, Singapore's carbon emissions amounted to 58.2 million tonnes, a number which has been growing at an annual average rate of 4.36% since 1972. The situation is similar around the world, with global efforts said to be 50% short of 2030 carbon emission targets.  

Ishani Mukherjee, Associate Professor of Public Policy, shares her insights on what effective policy design entails, and why it is crucial for Asian governments and businesses to mitigate the effects of climate change immediately. She also shares three points of discussion for leaders that are looking to attain their climate change goals.