As climate impacts worsen and costs increase, can humanity unite to scale up climate action before it’s too late?

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

The world is in a very dangerous place, says Singapore climate scientist Professor Winston Chow. Right when nations need to be united in fighting climate change, we seem more divided than ever, more focused on what are perceived to be more pressing issues, from cost of living to hot wars and trade wars.

But climate change is exacting an ever greater toll and is a today problem, not the “tomorrow problem” that many policymakers believe, Prof Chow tells Green Pulse hosts Audrey Tan and David Fogarty

Scorching heat, increasingly costly climate-linked disasters, melting ice caps and rising sea levels – these are threats that need much greater attention from policymakers, including in SE Asia.

The good news is that many nations and businesses remain committed to investing in climate adaptation and cutting emissions, such as green energy investments. And sustainability isn’t dead – it’s just good economics to factor in the cost-benefits of greener investing, he says.