The EU has traditionally been a pioneer when it comes to setting ambitious targets and promoting global cooperation on environmental and climate policies to foster sustainable development within Europe and at a global level. The announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Green Deal in December 2019 has been perceived as a strong statement very much in line with the EU’s commitment to the climate agenda. With its greater aim of contributing to achieving climate neutrality of the EU by 2050, the EU Green Deal is also seen as a major contribution to the “great transformation” to more sustainable and inclusive economic models.
Whilst focusing on internal rules and arrangements along with economic incentives for the EU Member States, its impact on relations with the rest of the world is still to be analysed.
As the national economies of the Asia and Pacific region will continue to be among the most dynamic in the world and are currently undergoing their own major transformations, these have been selected to serve as points of reference. Furthermore, several countries in the region (i.e., China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore) have announced carbon neutrality targets and outlined their green transformation strategies.
The study explores sustainability approaches and initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, their perception of the EU Green Deal and potential areas for cooperation with the EU. It features multi-country case studies, with four countries having been chosen – China, India, Japan and Singapore. These countries are at different stages of the green transition process and represent more than 50% of the region’s population, geographic area and are the leading economies in the region in terms of growth and many other aspects.
