Oil price slump a double-edged sword for Indonesia, Sri Mulyani says
Low oil prices may be a double-edged sword for Indonesia after Saudi Arabia started a price war with Russia by slashing its selling prices and pledging to boost supply amid falling demand due to the coronavirus outbreak. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Monday that the current price war amid the weakening economy due to the […]
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, […]
China-Myanmar pipeline grows in its appeal
There was no second-guessing why China’s President Xi Jinping made Myanmar his first stop in a visit earlier this year, even as coronavirus was mercilessly gripping his nation: China has never ceased worrying about reliable supplies of gas, and the prospect of a pipeline with Myanmar is an attractive one.
Thailand reveals LNG hub ambitions
First, it was Singapore that made bare its plans to be an LNG hub in Asia. Not to be outclassed, Thailand too has expressed its own lofty ambitions to get into the race of being Asia’s premier LNG bunker trading hub. There is plenty of reason why. According to The World Bank, more than 70% of […]
Malaysian banks’ lending to coal sector under scrutiny
INCREASINGLY, global banks, the latest being JPMorgan Chase, are pulling back from lending to the coal sector because of the climate-related and reputational risks associated with the industry. Despite this global trend, three of the largest banks in Malaysia remain “heavily invested”, according to Market Forces, an Australia-based climate activist group that scrutinises financial institutions.
Government looking at ways to lower public electricity bills
Thailand’s Energy Ministry is examining ways to lower electricity bills for the general public to ease their burden in response to the impact of Covid-19 on the economy, according to Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong. The ministry’s permanent secretary has been asked to call a meeting today with related electricity agencies, including the Energy Regulatory Commission, to […]
Local energy shares free fall
Local energy shares nosedived by more than 20% following a historic collapse of oil prices amid the price war tension jumpstarted by Saudi Arabia, setting the tone for another week of bear market for Thailand’s main equity benchmark. Share price of PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP), the oil and gas drilling arm of national oil […]
Power shift
Energy is vital for countries seeking to power and sustain economic growth. But as the world feels the heat of climate change, the energy industry is under pressure to undertake a major transition. Somehow, it must find ways to ensure that consumption can continue without interruption but with far fewer negative consequences for the environment.
