As businesses come under pressure to meet net-zero targets, they are increasingly investing in forest-protection projects to cancel out their carbon emissions. But what could have been a viable climate-mitigation option has become little more than a licence to pollute, to the detriment of indigenous communities and the planet.
From natural seawalls to mangroves, countries are starting to combat climate change with nature-based solutions. COP28 might drive more of these efforts.
Southeast Asia must prioritise climate resilience, encompassing adaptation and mitigation. The process must be strategically managed, informed by data and applied across a broad range of solutions.
The areas most prone to sinking are megacities that house almost 20 per cent of the global urban population, and these areas are also the most heavily impacted by sea-level rise.