ICAS Expert Voices Initiative Interview with André Aquino - May 2023

In late May 2023, Mr. André Aquino, Lead Environmental Specialist and Sustainable Development Program Leader for Indonesia and Timor-Leste at The World Bank, sat down remotely with ICAS Blue Carbon & Climate Change (BCCC) Program researcher Zhangchen Wang to discuss "Cooperation Between Developed and Developing Countries on Blue Carbon Projects."

This insightful interview was conducted as part of the revamped Expert Voices Initiative (EVI) at the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS); an independent, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on the evolving dynamics in the U.S.-China relationship to promote greater collaboration and mutual understanding.

Blue carbon, as a significant carbon sink and a natural defense line of coastal communities, plays an important role in both mitigating climate change and preventing climate-related “loss and damage.” However, countries with rich blue carbon natural resources are mostly developing countries that lack matching funds and technologies. In contrast, developed countries with relatively advanced technologies and sufficient funds are inherently insufficient in the stock of blue carbon natural resources. Thus, inspired by the “loss and damage” fund of COP27, this interview seeks to explore the possibilities for cooperation between developing and developed countries on blue carbon to protect, restore, develop, and utilize blue carbon resources as much as possible.

The Expert Voices Initiative is a series of on-camera, sit-down interviews with leading experts on important issues in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship. The series seeks to elicit candid opinions from experts across a range of topics, extending from economics, trade, and soft power initiatives to security, politics and foreign policy. Our goal is to provide for a global audience in-depth expert views from various national perspectives on a topical issue of significance in U.S.-China relations.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.