Building Climate Resilience in Southeast Asia with Digital Technologies
By xinlei Guo
Southeast Asia is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its extensive coastlines and dense population. Building and strengthening climate resilience is crucial in this region. However, despite the recognition of the need for climate-resilient cities, challenges persist.
Governments and policymakers play a vital role in driving climate-resilient development. Political will is essential in creating an enabling environment, as depoliticized approaches have limited success. We recommend that policymakers focus on leveraging digital technologies to aid in climate-resilient development.
Digital technologies can expedite infrastructure resilience assessments and aid decision-making throughout climate hazards. They generate reliable data that policymakers can use to create policies incentivizing climate-resilient development. Digital methods can quantify resilience benefits, enabling public finance to promote climate-resilient investment.
Despite efforts, capacity for investment and development in digital technologies for climate resilience remains limited in Southeast Asian countries. Collaboration between higher-capacity states and international partners is crucial. Financial assistance and knowledge sharing are needed to support climate-resilient development in the region.
In summary, prioritizing climate resilience, leveraging digital technologies, and fostering collaboration are key for Southeast Asia to tackle the challenges posed by climate change.
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