Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

Governments are at the heart of global climate action, setting the policies and direction for businesses and the public. And their influence will be on full display at this year’s COP27 climate talks in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. Delegates from nearly 200 nations are tasked with accelerating action on climate change and boosting finance for poorer countries.

But many governments have been too slow to act, leading to rising greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures. What can be done to get them to act? In this episode, ST's climate change editor David Fogarty and co-host Audrey Tan speak with Ms Sharon Seah, Senior Fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute and coordinator of the Climate Change in Southeast Asia Programme, to discuss the key role of governments and what steps they can take to accelerate climate action, especially in South-east Asia.

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

1:28 Why are governments so important in speeding up climate change action?

2:34 What are some of the tools governments can use to increase green investments?