The Just Energy Transition Community (JETC), convened by Singapore‑based nonprofit Philanthropy Asia Alliance, has pledged US$2.6 million for initiatives spanning clean energy access for farming and fishing communities, cooling solutions, workforce support and more responsible deployment of renewables across Southeast Asia.
First unveiled at last year’s Philanthropy Asia Summit, JETC is a collaborative initiative designed to accelerate Asia’s shift towards clean energy while ensuring the transition is equitable.
The amount is modest in the context of the region’s vast climate finance gap, but its backers say it is meant to be “catalytic”, as it is money that reaches rural and coastal communities least likely to be served by big public or private programmes, yet most exposed to volatile fuel prices and fragile grids.
“When funders align around what matters most to Asia, real progress follows. Energy is one of the most consequential areas for philanthropic capital today. Access to clean, affordable energy shapes outcomes in food, health, jobs and community resilience across the region,” said Shaun Seow, chief executive of Philanthropy Asia Alliance.
The funding will support projects in the region, including, but not limited to the Philippines and Indonesia, JETC said in a statement.
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When funders align around what matters most to Asia, real progress follows. Energy is one of the most consequential areas for philanthropic capital today.
Shaun Seow, chief executive, Philanthropy Asia Alliance
In the Philippines, JETC is working to deploy renewable energy systems for agricultural cooperatives, cutting diesel use and improving processing capacity in Mindanao, which has the highest poverty incidence rate among the island groups in the archipealgo.
The initiative is also set to install clean cold chain facilities so fishers can keep catches fresh long enough to secure better prices off the coast off Maluku, considered one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia.
Funding will be disbursed as individual initiatives are confirmed and due diligence is completed, with grants released in tranches to be decided case by case, Jamie Choi, chief executive of Singapore‑based Tara Climate Foundation, one of JETC’s co‑leading organisations, told Eco-Business.
Women farmers process coffee in a cooperative in the province of Bukidnon. Solar energy now powers their factory after frequent electricity outages have been disrupting their work. Image: JETC
In a region that needs roughly US$210 billion a year for climate‑aligned investment in developing communities, philanthropic capital “can make a genuine difference,” directing finances to energy as it emerges as one of the defining forces shaping communities across Asia, touching on agriculture, fisheries, health and livelihoods, JETC said.
By directly funding experiments at the intersection of energy, food security, jobs and resilience, JETC said it hopes to connect funders directly to the communities and projects at the forefront of Asia’s energy transition.
The initiative also reflects a wider shift in Asian philanthropy, which is beginning to see clean, reliable energy not as a niche climate issue but as a foundation for livelihoods and dignity in a warming, energy‑constrained world, suggested Woochong Um, chief executive of nonprofit Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, a member of JETC.
“Asia’s energy transition must deliver more than just lower emissions; it must secure the dignity of life and livelihoods for millions. Empowering resilient communities is how we drive real, lasting growth across the region,” he said.
