Eco-Business

Floating solar deals, cross-border energy plans and a new carbon credit framework highlight early progress, but achieving net zero will require rapid capacity expansion and a more resilient, modernised grid.

Rewilding_travel_ecotourism_Southeast_Asia_Kui_Buri_Elephants

From Thailand’s elephant plains to the Philippines’ coral sanctuaries, these destinations share one belief: that tourism must give back more than it takes. In Southeast Asia, ecotourism isn’t just about seeing nature – it’s about keeping it alive.

Leaders and scientists are seeking solutions to the health and income problems that extreme heat causes for Global South food stall traders.

The bloc, whose energy demand is expected to nearly double by 2040, has been pursuing power grid integration since 1997 but technical and financial barriers have hampered progress. A new financing pact aims to change this.

By Isis Sartori Reis, Tom Baxter, Björn Jerdén

By Samantha Ho

By Rhick Lars Albay

By Taylah Bland

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Booming growth in data centres is escalating electricity demand and risks undermining the region’s energy transition goals. By Muyi Yang, Xiwei Xu and David Lo

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

Chinese and American firms are seeking to export their autonomous driving technologies to Southeast Asia. The signal lesson is that their data-driven models require sensitivity and adaptation to the region’s diverse markets. By Shi Youwei

By Elyssa Kaur Ludher

By Julie de los Reyes and Katrina Navallo

By Mirza Sadaqat Huda

By Dr Richard Friend, Dr Jutamas Kaewsuk and Dr Pakamas Thinphanga

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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?

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Southeast Asian energy ministers will meet in October to discuss the future of the region’s power grid. GEAPP’s Kitty Bu tells the Eco-Business podcast what areas they must collaborate on, and how finance and industry can help.

Laos has announced the construction of two new coal plants for this year, despite growing evidence that coal power comes with significant financial risk. What is holding back the country from tapping its rich clean energy resources instead?

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