Scaling ASEAN's climate ambition in the global multi-level governance of climate change under the UNFCCC

Abstract

Southeast Asia is home to one of the most climate vulnerable regions in the world, thus necessitating raising climate policy ambitions which currently fall short of global targets. The urgency of climate action necessitates effective collaboration between international institutions, regional blocs, and nation-states. While existing research examines the role of the UNFCCC and the EU in shaping global goals, it often overlooks regional actors who translate these goals into regional policies. This study employs the multi-level governance framework to analyse the influence that various levels of the global climate governance has on regional climate policy development and implementation in ASEAN. Particularly, this research examines the interactions in the multi-level governance structure at three levels - (1) intra-regional level of interactions between ASEAN member states, (2) inter-regional level particularly between the ASEAN and its regional counterpart cum climate policy leader the EU, and (3) international level of the UNFCCC. Through this research, this paper aims to plug the research gap on regional climate policy in vulnerable and developing regions like Southeast Asia. The findings can inform efforts to enhance policy ambition not only in Southeast Asia but also globally, promoting a more collaborative approach to climate governance.