Southeast Asia's Clean Energy Transition

Langgan

The leading platform for the region's journey of transformation

He dislikes spending climate money, but opportunities could arise where interests align. Observers also hope the private market can pull through if the US disengages.

Coal-fired power plants are driving a health crisis in Southeast Asia, where fine particle pollution causes millions of premature deaths annually.

But Filipino nuclear engineer Ronald Daryll Gatchalian says atomic energy will complement intermittent renewable power, and considers “infighting among low-carbon technologies” an obstacle to the country achieving climate goals.

Experts say that rerouting subsidies and implementing a better tender process for renewables can help Indonesia reduce its dependence on coal and other fossil fuels.

Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto Paris Olympics

Paris has just hosted what was billed as the most sustainable Olympics in history. Can Indonesia or India make credible bids to host a green Games in 2036?

Segala berita →

At COP29, the city-state unveiled a third investment theme to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors under its national blended finance scheme and pledged to match partner concessional capital dollar-for-dollar.

Pertamina oil and gas facility in Rokan Block in Riau

As declining oil output increases reliance on on foreign supply, the region’s oil import bill could exceed US$200 billion by 2050, posing major economic and energy security risks without a faster renewables shift, says the global energy authority.

Rafael Consing Jr, Maharlika Investment Corporation president and CEO

Maharlika Investment Corporation head Rafael Consing Jr aims to reap “private equity-type returns” from running state-owned copper mines while minimising environmental harm, as the country rides the renewables boom. But critics disagree that such ventures fall under the fund’s mandate.

Japan claims that its new coal plants can reduce emissions by burning ammonia and blending hydrogen with fossil gas in gas plants.

Billed as a platform to advance decarbonisation and economic growth, environmentalists say the Asia Zero Emission Community meeting in Jakarta is promoting Japan-made "false solutions", such as carbon capture technology and waste-to-energy, and poses high debt risk for Indonesia.

Man overlooking Suralaya coal complex in Indonesia

Several big insurers have pulled out of the coal business due to their exclusion policies in recent years. The investor group's regional network plans to start persuading these players to consider covering early retirement transactions.