Asian Regionalism Initiative

Part of the:

Looking in-depth at how the Asia-Pacific region can work together to address the challenges of energy insecurity, climate change, and humanitarian crises in the years ahead.

CSIS is undertook a groundbreaking initiative on regional cooperation in Asia. There are great hopes pinned to the future of Asian regionalism, but no corresponding faith in the ability of regional institutions to solve real problems facing people today.

Through generous support from the MacArthur Foundation, CSIS looked in-depth at how the Asia-Pacific region can work together to address the challenges of energy insecurity, climate change, and humanitarian crises in the years ahead. All have the potential to shape Asia’s politics and growth in the coming century.

Initiative Highlights:

Robust network of Asia-Pacific scholars and research institutions
Unique survey analysis on Asian views of the climate challenge beyond Copenhagen
Workshops with regional experts and institutions on developing long term responses to climate change and humanitarian crises
Final monograph that analyzes findings, provides recommendations for strengthening regional institutions, and assesses the future of Asian regionalism

As the challenges of balancing energy security and climate mitigation with economic growth emerge in Asia, CSIS is taking a multifaceted approach to developing avenues for political and technical solutions to these issues at the national, regional, and international levels.

Initiative Scholars

Ongoing Work:

Politics of Climate Change in Asia
An effort to analyze the comparative politics of climate change that focuses on political landscape assessments by seven national experts from leading countries in Asia.
Asian Regional Organizations and Climate Change
As part of Asian Regionalism effort, CSIS scholars in the South Asia program are examining the role of regional organizations in responding to climate change and energy security challenges.
Secure, Low Carbon Pathways: National Dimensions
Stabilizing the level of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere to avoid the most dangerous impacts of global climate change is critical for Asian regional security and stability
Humanitarian Crisis Response
Capacity for disaster risk management and reduction will constitute a crucial portfolio for goverments and multilateral organizations in the future.