• While Asia has benefited enormously from globalization, it also encapsulates many of the

world’s problems. Fortunately, there are growing signs that this vibrant, diverse continent can
work together and rise to offer some of the solutions.

• Asia's initiatives regarding environmental issues brought by globalization:

1) Reducing Harmful Emission in Asia

— In the past decade, Asian countries (such as Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia,
Thailand etc.) participates in a global drive to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest
degradation and to conserve forests— an approach known as REDD+.

• REDD+ is a United Nations-backed framework that aims to curb climate change by

stopping the destruction of forests. REDD stands for "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation
and forest Degradation”; the “+” signifies the role of conservation, sustainable management of
forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

2) Restoring Clean Air in Asia

— China's War on Pollution

• In 2013, China's policymakers released the first “Air Pollution Prevention” plan,
requiring major Chinese regions to meet air pollution reduction targets within four years.
Beijing was required to reduce air pollution by 33%, prompting it to shutter coal-fired power
stations and curtail coal-burning heaters. A 2018 “Blue Sky”action plan built on the original
2013 plan by setting out further reduction targets of at least 18% for large cities and regions
that lagged 2013 goals.

— Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership

• Established in 2015, the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership is a platform for policy
makers and stakeholders to share knowledge, tools and innovative solutions to tackle air
pollution in the region. It brings together countries, networks and initiatives that focus on clean
air in the region.
 — Clean Air Asia (formerly Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities) promotes better air quality
and livable cities by translating knowledge to policies and actions that reduce air pollution and
greenhouse emissions from transport, energy, and other sectors.

• This was established in 2001 with assistance from the World Bank, Asian Development
Bank and United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (USEAP). The geographic scope of CAI-
Asia includes South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.

• Here are example of the agreements and initiative made by Asian countries to eliminate trade
and other economic barriers they face:

1) The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

— a free trade agreement (FTA) between Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile,
Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam. The CPTPP was signed by
the 11 countries on 8 March 2018 in Santiago, Chile.

— aims to achieve the highest standard of comprehensive market access through the
elimination of tariffs and other barriers to goods and services trade and investment.

2) ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)

— Established in late 2015 by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (itself founded in

1967), and has been seen way to promote economic, political, social and cultural cooperation
across the region. 

— It is an economic integration whose goals are free movement of goods, services,

investment, and skilled workers, and freer movement of capital in Southeast Asia.

3) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

—a free trade agreement signed by 15 countries— ten members of the ASEAN (Brunei
Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
and Viet Nam) and five regional partners (Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand) on
November 15, 2020.
 — it is considered as the largest regional free trade agreement (FTA) outside the World
Trade Organization (WTO), and it aims to create an integrated market, making it easier for
products and services of each of the countries to be available across this region.

4) Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

— a strategy initiated by the People's Republic of China that seeks to connect Asia with
Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks with the aim of improving regional
integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth.