Eco-Business

Vivian Balakrishnan and Lawrence Wong_Singapore_S Rajaratnam Lecture

The republic will not “capitulate”, but will forge global cooperation to tackle challenges like climate change, says prime minister Lawrence Wong. His speech was made a day after it was confirmed Singapore will head to the polls on 3 May.

EB Studio As lawmakers mull an across-the-board increase for minimum wage earners, observers at a panel in Manila push for a staggered process in order to balance needs of workers, employers, and its impact on the economy.

While they bet big on artificial intelligence and product carbon-footprint tracking, more action is needed to drive greener consumption, experts say.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand have named extreme weather as their top concern, putting it ahead of issues like unemployment and economic recession, a study by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute finds.

By Zhao Pei, Putra Adhiguna

By Wanyuan Song

Thomson Reuters Foundation

By Namdu Lhamo, Jelle J P Wouters, Binaya Pasakhala

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Farm labourers returning from overseas can, if empowered, form a pool of experienced talent that Southeast Asia’s vulnerable agricultural sector can tap into for food security. By Elyssa Kaur Ludher

With the globalisation engine no longer as powerful as it once was, economic growth alone is unlikely to eradicate poverty. One complementary approach is to bolster financial inclusion. By Wolfgang Fengler

Energy transition research addressing the range of equity concerns across India’s socioeconomic groups and regions is rare. This needs to change. By Dr Aishwarya Ramachandran, Animesh Ghosh and Vaibhav Chowdhary

Even though the global economy depends on a stable climate and reliable ecosystem services, businesses and financial institutions are not required or incentivised to invest in nature. Central banks and supervisors could change that trajectory simply by fulfilling their financial-stability mandate. By Julie McCarthy

By Mirza Sadaqat Huda

By Tham Siew Yean

By Reetika Syal and Tarun Arora

By Steven Okun and Aaron Cramer

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Fireside chat with Dr Mark Konyn, AIA group chief investment officer

In this wide-ranging fireside chat moderated by Eco-Business CEO Jessica Cheam, AIA Group's chief investment officer Dr Mark Konyn asserts there is “no U-turn” among corporates invested for the long term, even as political regimes change amid a new world order.

EB Studio Amid fresh debates about what corporate purpose should be, there is mounting evidence that corporate purpose leads to stronger brand reputation, better talent attraction and more resilience, leading to improved financial performance.

Southeast Asia's largest energy consumer has been slow to transition to renewables, but recent policies point to greater expansion of the country's solar, tidal and geothermal energy production.

Pension funds are some of the world's largest investors—holding trillions in assets—billions of which are pumped into fossil fuel companies like Shell, BP, and Total.

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Jessica Cheam, Mervyn Tang and Jocelyn Dove speaking at the Sharpening the ESG focus 2025 event

Trump 2.0 may prove to be a "bump in the road" for climate action, but banks and investors in Asia see growth and opportunity in the region for decarbonisation as climate risks grow.

GoTo sustainability head Tanah Sullivan tells the Eco-Business Podcast that regulating net-zero claims would decarbonise Southeast Asia faster. Indonesia's biggest internet firm aims to cut emissions to zero by 2030 — a target critics say is unrealistic.

Filipino commuters during Covid. Image: Commuters of Metro Manila

Exclusive As the country plunges into a recession borne out of the pandemic, how can it get back on its feet? On this podcast, Eco-Business spoke to top Filipino environmentalist Loren Legarda on how conservation should not take a backseat to economic development.

People using ATM machines in Singapore. Image: Robin Hicks/Eco-Business

Fossil fuels, tobacco, weapons—our banks could be spending our money on things we don't want them to. Eco-Business talks to finance expert Mayur Singh about why consumers in Asia should asking banks how they spend their money.

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