The bulk of funding will be used to address intermittency and variability of renewables in off-grid areas, says Asian Development Bank’s energy director Keiju Mitsuhashi. The Philippines alone will require $10 billion to improve its domestic grid.
Malaysia’s commodities minister is touting palm oil biomass as a coal alternative, while signalling a hard stance on deforestation. But experts warn that the full lifecycle emissions of biomass could exceed that of coal.
Legal experts say adopting a legally binding environmental rights framework is crucial to hold businesses accountable for the impact they have on ecosystems and public health.