The Trumpian approach to critical minerals – evident from the United States' interactions with Ukraine – may force Southeast Asia to choose sides. The region needs to look at diversifying its technical partners in the energy sector.
Last December's launch of Malaysia's first national EV could spur local component production, but this could be constrained by market conditions while the country's old supply chain, in which the carmaker remains heavily invested, will endure.
The financing gap is huge, but time is short. Given the inadequacy of a promised new climate finance goal, Southeast Asia should look beyond UN-led conferences to crowd in other sources of capital to tackle the climate crisis.
To ensure the food security of our region amidst climate change, there is no time like the present to determine how climate and digital technologies can work together to feed Asean.