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.
Although artificial intelligence (AI) offers positive benefits for Southeast Asia’s climate battle, the region should not look at its usage through rose-tinted glasses. Without careful consideration, such systems may inadvertently undermine and be counterintuitive to the very climate goals that they aim to achieve.
By
Indira Zahra Aridati
As Malaysia takes on the Asean Chairmanship in 2025, it has a unique opportunity to champion a bold, legally binding regional framework for environmental rights. Such a framework would protect the people most affected by environmental degradation and hold corporations accountable for transboundary climate harm.
By
Rayhan Dudayev and Syahrul Fitra
Hepatitis C treatment is no longer prohibitively expensive in the Global South because Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative developed ravidasvir – a low-cost antiviral. Such breakthroughs are possible for other neglected diseases if low- and middle-income countries agree to act collectively.
By
Timothy Radcliffe
Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have a sizeable presence in the global REE supply chain – now a geopolitical focal point – but although they may have substantial reserves, their REE production levels are still lower than China's.
By
Gloria Lin
While some companies greenhush, others are upfront about their inability to meet sustainability targets. Eco-Business asked experts at the Ecosperity conference if it pays for businesses to be "vulnerable" about sustainability progress.
The origin of Covid-19 is believed to be a market selling live wild animals. Eco-Business asked Anbarasi Boopal of Singapore-based animal welfare charity Acres about the link between the exploitation of animals and pandemics, and what can be done to curb the illegal wildlife trade.
Improving energy efficiency could meet a quarter of Southeast Asia’s emissions reduction targets. Here is how efficiency could drive Southeast Asia's energy transition.
Southeast Asian nations are racing to bring clean, affordable power to their people, but one country is outrunning them all. How can states make their renewable energy transition a success?
The Eco-Business Podcast speaks to reporters Nadiah Rosli, Adelia Dinda Sani, Gerald Flynn and Hannah Alcoseba Fernandez about funding limits, data access, and reporting against the odds in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable regions.
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.
Indonesian environmental campaigners took a novel approach to raising climate awareness by publishing five children's books about the country's environmental issues. This podcast explores their creative process and the public's response.
EB Studio
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil has released new criteria for certifying responsibly grown palm oil. What's changed and how does RSPO respond to criticism that the new standard lowers the bar for deforestation?