SEOUL: Asian countries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of global climate change and must take bold action to reverse it, South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo said Friday.
In a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, Han said many major cities on the continent are situated along coastlines.
"Two thirds of the world's poorest live in our region, and they are the most severely and disproportionately affected by climate change," he said.
"Thus it is imperative that we act boldly, decisively and without delay."
The urgency of the twin challenges posed by the global economic slump and climate change need a comprehensive policy response, Han said.
"We must not view these two global issues as mutually exclusive. Rather, we need to construct a new and fresh approach, recognising the symbiotic relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability."
South Korea plans to spend some 40 billion dollars over the next four years on a "Green New Deal" policy aimed at creating one million jobs and shifting from "fossil-fuel dependent, quantity-oriented growth to a new paradigm of qualitative growth," he said.
Victor L.L. Chu, chairman of Hong Kong's First Eastern Investment Group, told the forum that China -- one of the world's most polluted countries -- is catching up fast in green growth projects.
The country plans a stimulus package worth 440 billion dollars to expand its renewable energy use, state media said last month.
Chu said China had also drastically raised fuel consumption tax over the last few months.
More significantly, there was a "fundamental shift" in attitudes towards green growth among frontline officials in provincial cities and townships.
"So they see much beyond just the protection of local jobs... they understand pure growth for growth's sake is damaging and sacrificing our children's and grandchildren's green future," Chu said.
Chiaki Ito, vice chairman of Japan's Fujitsu, said information and communication technology (ICT) could reduce the world's carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent by 2020.
"As ICT is fully integrated into our everyday life, it could be a change agent to shift our thinking and behaviour. With sensors and actuators embedded in our daily lives, we can measure or visualize the energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in real time," Ito said.
