The Global South and air pollution

As a senior advisor on strategic economic affairs in charge of economic diplomacy, business economics and nation branding for Indonesia’s portfolios in 2016-17, I learned early on about the country’s plans to build numerous coal-fired power plants to meet their growing energy demand. Anticipating the possible consequences, I commented to a colleague: “China is still struggling with air pollution caused by coal plants, which contributes to health problems and climate change. Shouldn’t we learn from their experience and aim for cleaner growth?”

Unfortunately, we were told there was nothing we could do. In the following years, air quality in Jakarta began to deteriorate: a World Bank report found that in 2019, PM2.5 pollution in Indonesia resulted in economic costs estimated at $74 billion and caused approximately 183,000 deaths.

Development beyond growth

Like many policymakers, I once believed that to alleviate poverty, we needed to accelerate economic growth and tolerate pollution. I thought that once my country was richer, we could clean up the pollution. This belief has proven both harmful and costly. In 1996, an OECD study found that early investment in the environment did not compromise economic growth; in fact, countries that delayed their adoption paid higher cumulative costs afterwards.

These studies make clear that policymakers must abandon the “grow now, clean up later” model. Through my research at the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development (ICCSD) at Tsinghua University in Beijing, I learned how integrated governance of climate, air pollution, and economic development can help countries achieve climate goals. domestic policy and comply with international climate commitments.

China’s “war on air pollution” exemplifies this approach. Air quality in Beijing has improved markedly, and the country is now the world’s largest producer of solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles. Two factors stand out in China’s success:

1. Leadership commitment. Leaders must prioritize pollution control, low-emission development and combating climate change, providing strong strategic direction across government.
2. Dedicated supervision. A specialized ministry, such as China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, can coordinate policy, technology, and financial investments.

Achieving integrated governance means that sectors must collaborate. The industrial sector must implement pollution controls; The energy sector must accelerate clean energy transitions, and all sectors must align with net-zero emissions goals.

Governments need to implement measures such as carbon prices, green subsidies, guaranteed public purchases and state investments. Advanced technologies, such as near real-time carbon monitoring, are essential to correctly measure emissions and ensure effective policies that prevent pollution.

Air quality and investment

Improving air quality requires sustained investment in pollution monitoring, emissions control and clean energy. In Indonesia, we still lack solutions to prevent pollution, and our heavy dependence on coal and internal combustion vehicles must change urgently.

China, a world leader in the production of solar energy, batteries and electric vehicles, could be a major investor. Since 2014, Chinese solar companies have made substantial investments in Vietnam, creating jobs and improving the skills of local workers. In March 2023, China’s leading electric vehicle maker BYD opened its first plant in Thailand, marking the latest move by Chinese automakers to expand their presence in Southeast Asia.

For Indonesia and other countries in the Global South to attract Chinese investment and China’s world-class environmental technology companies, we must align our infrastructure projects and policy objectives with China’s global green development strategy and ecological civilization mission. This involves offering investment opportunities that provide mutual economic benefits and improve air quality, such as renewable energy projects, emissions reductions, waste-to-energy facilities with air pollution controls, nature-based solutions and mitigation mechanisms. compensation for sustainable ecological protection that have proven successful in China.

During his first official state visit, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in early November, where both sides announced $10 billion in new Chinese investments in Indonesia. The official joint statement from the meeting mentioned areas of cooperation, including new energy vehicles, batteries, solar photovoltaic panels and the establishment of a Green Mineral Resources Association. This is a promising first step, which should be followed closely to ensure its alignment with the long-term social and environmental objectives of Indonesia and China, and the protection of both countries’ reputations.

Global South Solidarity

Countries in the Global South, home to 85% of the world’s population, are among the most affected by air pollution and climate change. Establishing a unified global system in which each country contributes equitably to reducing greenhouse gas emissions could be transformative.

This type of effort to unite countries in the Global South has already been achieved in the past. In April 1955, leaders from 29 Asian and African nations, including Indonesian President Soekarno and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, met in Bandung, Indonesia, and laid the foundation for the non-alignment movement during the Cold War. In the face of the current planetary crisis, I believe that the Global South needs to revive this spirit of solidarity and establish a International Climate Unionthrough which best practices in policies, technology and financing can be shared. This would be a concrete follow-up to Indonesia and China’s pledge to take leading roles in advancing South-South cooperation and promoting reforms in global governance, as highlighted in their joint statement.

During my time in China, I found enthusiastic partners, from scientists and NGOs to businesses and government agencies, who could be key to collaborative efforts. These partnerships have the potential to improve air quality, stimulate economic growth, and integrate our countries into global green supply chains.

Opportunities to address air pollution and climate change are abundant, but to seize them, our governments must adopt innovative approaches.

Note: this is an article republished from the media “Dialogue Earth” through a cooperation agreement between both parties for the dissemination of journalistic content. original link.

Sumartono Darmanto is an air quality and climate change researcher at the Department of Earth System Sciences, Tsinghua University. In his recent role as Senior Advisor to the Government of Indonesia’s Prakerja Priority Programme, he represented the government at various UN conferences and high-level meetings in Morocco, South Korea and at UN Headquarters in the United States. Furthermore, he was the initiator and co-organizer of the UNESCO Conference on Inclusive Lifelong Learning in 2023, held in Bali, Indonesia.