The UK government held at the end of May a two-day event which brought together businesses from the UK and the ASEAN bloc to mobilise the private sector to commit to net zero emissions by 2050, through joining the Race to Zero campaign of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
More than 500 businesses took part in the event on 24 and 25 May, which was organised by the UK Government, in partnership with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council and the UK-ASEAN Business Council.
Businesses from both the UK and ASEAN discussed the need for stronger corporate climate action in ASEAN and visible business leadership via the global Race to Zero campaign.
The Race to Zero coalition calls for businesses, cities, regions, and universities to commit to net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.
“The event is further proof of our strong cooperation with ASEAN under the ASEAN-UK Cooperation Framework on COP26, endorsed by the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Member States last year,” the UK government said in a statement.
During the event, businesses discussed the challenges and opportunities for decarbonisation of the energy, agriculture, fashion, and transportation sectors in ASEAN.
Leaders from ASEAN’s energy sector debated the challenges of the transition to clean energy and the need to ensure access to renewable energy. Panellists called for global corporations to show ambition in utilising clean energy throughout supply chains.
In the agriculture sector, the discussion involved the need to scale sustainable agricultural practices across the ASEAN region and catalyse effective public and private partnerships.
The panel also agreed that ASEAN needs ambitious and at the same time feasible targets for vehicle electrification.
“Ahead of the UK’s COP26 Presidency, the ASEAN-UK Race to Zero Dialogues demonstrated the growing momentum for ambitious climate action throughout the private sector, and highlighted the potential power of effective public and private partnership,” the UK government said.