Experts say the region's next challenge is turning climate commitments into enforceable coal retirement plans that protect people, local communities, and energy security.
Asean’s official energy outlook, endorsed by its energy ministers on 8 October, reveals a gap between the region’s energy plans and its members’ net-zero pledges, and allows new coal plants to be built even in its lowest-emissions scenario.
Speaking at Unlocking capital for sustainability Singapore 2026, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Jeffrey Siow said Singapore remains committed to its climate targets even as geopolitics fractures the rules-based order.
A new report warns that surging demand for critical minerals is intensifying environmental and social harms, particularly in resource-rich countries, while much of the extraction serves industries beyond clean energy.