Southeast Asian countries consider ways to boost ‘green financing’ as region chokes on smog

By ELAINE KURTENBACH
AP Business Writer

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) — Senior finance and central bank officials from Southeast Asia and major economies are meeting in the scenic Laotian city of Luang Prabang to discuss ways to help the region build resilience against shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters brought on by climate change. The need for faster progress was dramatically apparent as the city and surrounding region were engulfed in heavy smoke from fires — some set to clear forests for crops, some ignited by record high temperatures and tinder-dry conditions. Laos and other countries in Southeast Asia have committed to seeking more sustainable ways to feed their people and power their economies. The question is where the money will come from to do that.