Global warming is, by its definition, global. So why focus on a single region? The editors of Decarbonizing Asia point out, “Whilst more than half the planet’s CO2 emissions are from the region, with the single biggest emitter being China, there has been very little dialogue and information about the region’s past, present, and future in the context of decarbonization, innovation, and investment opportunities.” The Asia-Pacific region (here defined in its broadest possible description, i.e. anything from Istanbul to Oceania) has the most to lose from climate change, and the greatest potential to tackle the core innovations needed to address it.
—
Decarbonizing Asia consists of a collection of descriptive essays from 15 experts and innovators based in the region, interspersed with case studies and one-on-one interviews. The topics include finance, energy, buildings, transport, food and agriculture, waste, and consumption, examined from a variety of different perspectives: How did Asia get here? What is happening now? What is next? And what is possible? The companies featured in the case studies and interviews include both startups and large multinationals.
Although some sections touch on the role of the individual consumer, fundamentally the book is about institutions, industries, policy, and big business rather than individual action. For example, the first chapter, entitled “Humans”, begins the discussion with an excellent overview of green finance by Alexandra Tracy. Some intriguing start-up businesses and early-stage innovations appear in its pages, such as battery-swapping scooters in Taiwan, or biogas production from waste pig parts in China. But at its core are national- or even regional-scale challenges and solutions.
This makes sense, because systemic issues and commercial or industrial policies are the most significant levers to addressing climate change in the region: for example, in the “Waste and Industry” chapter, Sandro Desideri says that by 2040, greenhouse gas emissions in Asia-Pacific will probably be 60% from industrial activity, while in the “Built Environment” chapter, Eric Chong points out that energy demand in commercial buildings is expected to triple by 2040. Chong also presents examples of the system-wide changes that are required, or are already happening, to enable a move toward more sustainable buildings: green concrete production, zero carbon building standards, and infrastructure optimization via the Internet of Things (IoT).
You might also like: 10 Technological Innovations That Can Speed Up the Green Transition
Given this perspective, the book is an excellent resource for business people and policymakers who are making the kinds of decisions that will affect the future at a large scale, rather than the consumer seeking household waste or energy savings. It is written by sustainability and decarbonization insiders, but non-specialists will also find it useful: it is careful to define terms and minimize opaque jargon, and the contributors all organize their essays logically, write with simple clarity, and follow a consistent “past, present, future” format.
One area the book outlines very well is the scale of the change required, and the necessity of focusing on Asia. For example, as of publication, the Asia-Pacific region produces 23% of global industrial output, and most organic and solid waste is a by-product of industrial activity. At the same time, over the next decade or two, the demographic and economic changes that will most impact the climate will take place in Asia. One example is in the area of urbanization. Asia contains most of the world’s urban population as of today, but the lowest level of urbanization. This means that by 2050, 70% of the world’s urban growth will happen in Asia. Consumer and agricultural habits will also change dramatically. For example, China’s per capita consumption of beef, a massive source of greenhouse gas emissions, may rise by 40% between 2010 and 2030.
The chapter by Christine Loh, “Lifestyle and Consumer”, stands out from the others as somewhat more introspective and even philosophical. It highlights the stark differences between the decarbonization challenges of rich Asia – places like Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore – and poor Asia. For example, most food waste in poorer economies happens at the agricultural level, while in richer ones it happens mainly in restaurants and kitchens. Loh also poses an intriguing question: can Asian belief systems, such as the Daoist-Zen-Buddhist tradition of minimalism and thrift, be tapped to target consumer waste? After all, the KonMari system has already gained worldwide cachet. Loh also calls out fast fashion, which contributes somewhere between 2-10% of the world’s carbon emissions, as “the poster child for wastefulness.”
The “rich Asia, poor Asia” divide raises its head in multiple other essays, including energy and transportation. Access to power is the key issue for many people in poorer economies, and the vast majority of installed capacity is either coal or oil. Meanwhile, the “deeply conservative” power sector is reluctant to adopt new technologies, demanding a proven ten-year track record for any new generation technology. Hydroelectric power, although a renewable source, is not without problems for nations such as Laos, whose economy is highly dependent on. Richer markets have made green hydrogen a trendy topic but in reality, the cost needs to reach US$2 per kilogram to be competitive, compared to its current $6-9.
Lack of access to finance and other commercial considerations may prove to be a significant barrier for poorer markets in particular: in the final section, contributors Moon K. Kim and Rachel Fleishaman point out that when it comes to carbon capture, utilization and sequestration, “Asia lacks significant developments in industrial sequestration projects”, despite the fact that – as Bill Kentrup states – much global carbon storage capacity sits in the tropics. This divide also affects agriculture, which is currently responsible for 20% of emissions in the region, including 40% of methane emissions, as well as 80% of water use. While South Korea is promoting “digital agriculture” and China is making increasing use of drones – 80% of the rice in Heilongjiang province is sprayed by drones – these solutions are unaffordable to many markets in the region.
The “Transportation” chapter leaves something to be desired. Other than an interview with the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR), it focuses primarily on electric vehicles for private and fleet use, along with ride-hailing or vehicle-sharing apps. Discussions of high-speed rail, public transit, and walkable cities are scattered throughout other chapters. Additionally, because it is the kind of book that the reader will likely want to refer to frequently after reading, it could have benefited from a more comprehensive index (where was that pig parts example again?) and a glossary.
Decarbonizing Asia is not exactly a reference book, since it can be enjoyed as readily on the sofa as in an office chair. The individual essays and interviews are engaging and readable. But it is one that would be an excellent volume for any sustainability professional in Asia to keep at their desk, ready to consult and check back in on. It would also be an excellent text for advanced tertiary students who are interested in pursuing business opportunities in Asia. The editors have achieved what they set out to do, and the rest of the world would do well to pay attention.
Decarbonizing Asia: Innovation, Investment and Opportunities
Ágoston Tony Verb and Roman Shemakov
2022, World Scientific Publishing Co, 374pp
