Asia’s Central Banks Must Rise to the Challenge of Climate Change

Climate change is already a reality. The deadly bushfires in Australia, ferocious flooding in Indonesia and extended droughts in Vietnam have led to the destruction of infrastructure, investments and livelihoods. Yet across Asia, acceptance of this reality has not yet changed consumer behaviors across the region.
Unlocking green finance through blockchain can help meet Singapore’s emissions goals

As a small island city-state vulnerable to climate shocks, Singapore has proactively embraced the fight against climate change. In his speech during the 2020 Budget debate at the end of February, Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean articulated Singapore’s long-term low-emission development strategy (LEDS). He announced the goal of capping Singapore’s greenhouse emissions by 2030, […]
The Palm Oil Conundrum in EU-ASEAN Relations

With new regulatory changes now taking place on the basis of the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II of 2018, Indonesia and Malaysia are trying to come to terms with the implications for their global palm oil market strategy and domestic production. They are mobilizing intra-regional support from ASEAN and its members and even considering bringing […]
SMEs urged to invest in pro-environment technologies amid climate-change threat

Amid persistent threats from climate change, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to take a more proactive approach in doing business by always considering their impact on the environment while meeting customer expectations. Epson, in its SME Study on Digital Transformation in Southeast Asia, found that almost 30 percent of respondents in six of the […]
Fusion Research in Southeast Asia: IAEA and ITER Support School in Thailand

Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand – ITER science and technology was one of the topics that more than 80 students from across Southeast Asia learnt about at the sixth ASEAN School on Plasma and Nuclear Fusion and SOKENDAI Winter School (ASPNF 2020) in Thailand last month. The school, which was co-supported by the IAEA and ITER and co-organized by the SOKENDAI University, […]
ASEAN’s future power source

The gears of industry would not turn if not for power. In the modern world, we have come to depend on electricity generated from traditional fossil fuel resources like coal. However, amid a global awareness of the dangers of fossil fuels to our environment, we have since embarked on a paradigm shift towards renewable energy. As […]
ASEAN’s shift to biogas

The push towards renewable energy has seen biogas emerge as a viable option for Southeast Asian countries looking to diversify their energy mix. Biogas refers to the mixture of various gasses – usually methane, carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulphide – that are produced as a result of the breakdown of organic matter like municipal […]
ADB, European Union, and ASEAN Countries Partner to Boost Green Infrastructure

The European Union (EU) announced today it is preparing to support the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF) with €50 million ($54.9 million) to help governments prepare and catalyze public and private financing for climate-friendly infrastructure projects across Southeast Asia. Launched in April 2019 and managed by the Asian Development […]