As the host of this year's UN Climate Change Conference, Brazil seeks to make COP30 the “COP of implementation.” Translating commitments into robust action should include providing indigenous peoples with direct access to predictable and sustainable finance, and treating them as equal partners, rather than as beneficiaries. Oleh Eileen Mairena Cunningham

China’s climate pivot has been shaped by its survival strategy, and this is now quickly redefining its resilience in the 21st century. Whether that power endures will depend on Asean – arguably China’s closest testbed for clean energy development. The recent Asean Summit and Apec meetings suggest China’s successes in climate and development will see a far larger reach beyond its shores. Oleh Junice Yeo

Even as political denial and regulatory paralysis grip parts of the West, a different message has been resounding across Asia – it is not retreating, but rising to the occasion. Oleh Jessica Cheam

Nepal’s Gen Z–led uprising, sparked by a social media ban and fuelled by anger over corruption, inequality and joblessness, toppled the government and opened an uncertain path toward political reform. Oleh DB Subedi