First of all, happy Deepavali/Diwali to all our readers. Deepavali, or the "Festival of Lights", is a 5-day celebration carried out by at least 1 billion people globally, to commemorate a series of events in one of the oldest epics in the world: the Ramayana.
Yet the month of October was perhaps most marked by another event at its close: the kick-off of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). This gathering of world leaders in pursuit of a new climate paradigm is being heavily covered in global media, and so this month's edition of Tomorrow Matters provides a platform for alternative voices on the climate change challenge, given the fact that many in Asia and Africa are now commenting on the inadequacies of current climate solutions and their inherent inequalities.
This edition of Tomorrow Matters opens with articles from the world's most populated countries: India and China. The piece from the former argues that India is not in a position to manage the carbon excesses of richer countries, while the commentary from the latter points out the "climate blame game", in which China is frequently the loser.
Then, we shift gear to a regional article, which assesses Asia's need for a stronger international diplomatic voice. Although seemingly dissimilar to climate change, the two issues are in fact related.
The penultimate piece gives a description of the "world's most successful democratic leader": Indonesia's President Joko Widodo. While the need is clear for a stronger Asian voice in climate change and diplomacy, President Jokowi proves that there is a wealth of potential.
Lastly, we conclude with local reporting, which analyses flooding in Sabah (East Malaysia), to remind us that behind the lofty concepts inherent in climate change and international leadership, there are serious impacts to communities rooted in the realities of local contexts.
We hope you enjoy this month’s selection of some of the most interesting commentary from around the region.