Climate change is one of the biggest challenges for sustainable development around the world. Large developing economies, particularly in Asia, are now major sources of global emissions but need external assistance to accelerate their transition to clean energy. Meanwhile, many poor and vulnerable countries have contributed little to the climate crisis but face the worst of its escalating impacts.

In this episode of Development Futures, Roland Rajah, Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre (IPDC), talks with Melanie Pill and Michelle Lyons — both IPDC climate policy research fellows and experts in climate finance – to examine the key issues and what needs to be done following the “historic” yet disappointing outcomes of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) summit held in the United Arab Emirates at the end of last year.

Among other issues, they discuss the outcomes of the COP28 summit, where to next on climate finance, the synergies and tensions between climate and development, how to accelerate progress in emerging Asian economies, the acute challenges facing vulnerable island states such as in the Pacific, the role and responsibilities of Australia, and their own practical ideas for how the world could do better in delivering on the climate and development progress needed.