Many parts of Asia seem to be emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic relatively well. But overcoming the public-health crisis is only one challenge the region faces.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged socio-economic disruptions in the ASEAN region, exposing fundamental weaknesses and vulnerabilities in various sectors.

In a year dominated by COVID-19, it’s perhaps understandable that we’ve neglected the most profound, existential crisis we face: runaway climate change.

Kudos to the European Commission (EC) for finalising a new investment agreement with China. Europe’s active diplomacy also played a role in China’s recent commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 – a decision that was quickly followed by Japan’s pledge to decarbonise by 2050.

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world in the first quarter of 2020 with no clear end in sight. Severe impact on the economy globally as well as in ASEAN was inevitable. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the ASEAN region is projected to decline by 2.7 percent in 2020, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Most readers will remember the widespread enthusiasm with which we met the arrival of the 21st century. It was a time of high hopes, grandiloquent editorials, and unfeigned daring on the part of the West. Yet in the blink of an eye (historically speaking), the spirit of the times shifted radically – even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. For much of the world, this century has been a period of frustration and disillusion.

As megacities emerge across the globe, the ones in Asia remain among the fastest growing and cheapest places to build. These cities will continue to grow in size and affluence, due to ever-increasing urban populations. The United Nations (UN) describes megacities as urban areas with a population of 10 million or more. If urban populations continue to swell at their current rate, the number of megacities in the world could increase to 43 by 2030.

In December 2018, the European Union (EU) revised the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) also called RED II which bans the use of palm oil.

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries globally, alongside oil and agriculture.The industry’s desire to be on-trend drives its business operations by reducing collection periods and accelerating inventory turns.

The international community urgently needs new tools, ideas, and initiatives to meet the common threats and challenges faced by the United Nations’ (UN) 193 member countries.