Asean's growing carbon trading initiatives present vast opportunities for emissions reduction and economic growth, but equitable frameworks and robust regulations are critical to their success.
If policymakers and ESG proponents fail to ensure that the ESG agenda is equitable and credible – directly benefiting working class and rural communities – the credibility of ESG will deteriorate further.
How the region’s populations view decarbonisation as the energy transition occurs can inform stronger leadership and better policymaking at the elite level.