Asean and global emerging markets step up at COP30

COP30 is just over halfway through its scheduled two weeks, but it is already clear that a dominant theme is the growing prominence of emerging markets, including in Asean, in the global climate debate. These nations are expected to provide the motor of global economic growth in coming decades.

This dynamic has kicked in not only because of the absence of key leaders from major emitting nations – notably US President Donald Trump, who also withdrew US officials – but also because many emerging markets perceive a significant scaling down of climate ambition by key industrialised powers.

The headlines of the first week at COP 30 have been captured by the dozens of Brazilian indigenous protesters who forced their way into the summit to demand climate action, including forest protection. However, seasoned diplomats have highlighted much the same point, albeit in a different way.