Leaders from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) released a joint statement on climate change today. The statement pegs high hopes on the UN climate process, and calls upon countries to take action commensurate with their commitment to keep global temperature rise below 2°C. Separately, an analysis of the commitments made under the Copenhagen Accord shows that even if the stated reduction pledges are achieved, the globe will still be on a trajectory for at least a 3°C rise by the end of the century.

Some noteworthy aspects of the ASEAN statement include the urging for binding targets in both the medium and long term, likely in recognition of the fact that interim targets will allow countries to track progress in real time and adjust policies to reflect their actual emissions. ASEAN also urged developed countries to ensure that unilateral climate change policies “will not negatively affect international trade as well as the sustainable economic and social development of developing countries.” This is probably a cautionary nod to proposals that are being floated in the EU and in developing American legislation that would slap import tariffs or “border adjustments” on goods coming from countries without equivalent climate rules.

Predictably, lots of verbiage was reserved for expediting technology transfer for mitigation and financial flows for adaptation. These nations reaffirmed their “right to sustainable development” but lamented that their resilience to the effects of climate change will be seriously tested. The statement proposed that a regional action plan be made that addressed both mitigation and adaptation. ASEAN member states are considered to be particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels, and are heavily implicated in the UN’s mechanism to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD).

By Jeff Beyer, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)