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The global energy crisis has exposed critical vulnerabilities in the energy systems of Southeast Asian nations, particularly their reliance on imported fossil fuels. While governments in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Viet Nam have implemented short-term measures to mitigate price shocks and secure fuel supplies, the report argues that these responses fail to address underlying vulnerabilities. It calls for an acceleration of fossil fuel phasedowns, a reconsideration of natural gas as a transition fuel, and a prioritisation of renewable energy scale-ups and energy efficiency to build long-term resilience.

The document outlines the methodology for calculating the amount of fossil fuels displaced by solar energy and the associated avoided costs. It describes the use of Ember's electricity datasets, IEA thermal efficiency and calorific value data, and UN Comtrade trade data to build linear regression models for fuel pricing. The analysis assumes solar replaces the cheapest fossil fuel generation in each country, with a specific exception for Indonesia where oil is replaced first.

Solar generation in seven Asian countries avoided approximately US$34 billion in fossil fuel costs in the first half of 2022. The report highlights rapid capacity growth in China, India, and Viet Nam, while noting that solar capacity across five key Asian economies is expected to grow by an average of 22% annually until 2030. However, the transition faces hurdles including grid instability in Viet Nam, high installation costs in Japan and South Korea, and policy bottlenecks in the Philippines and Thailand.

The report warns that massive LNG expansion and a lack of ambitious national climate targets are jeopardizing the 1.5°C warming limit. It highlights that current 2030 targets lead to 2.4°C of warming and that LNG capacity under construction could increase emissions by over 1.9 GtCO2e per year by 2030 above Net Zero scenarios. While some policy progress is noted in the US, China, and the EU, international climate finance remains insufficient, and the phase-down of coal is largely being ignored by major emitters.

By 30 September 2022, cumulative global GSS+ debt topped USD3.5 trillion, with green bonds surpassing the USD2 trillion milestone. While Q3 2022 saw a decline in issuance volumes due to geopolitical and macroeconomic factors, the market remains dominated by EUR, USD, and CNY denominations. In the Middle East and Africa (MEA), the GSS+ market has reached USD33.2 billion, characterized by a high proportion of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) compared to the global average, reflecting the region's concentration of hard-to-abate sectors.

The document examines the legal mechanics of shareholder climate resolutions in Asia, detailing jurisdiction-specific requirements for filing, voting thresholds, and the role of company charter documents. It highlights a general trend toward increased ESG consciousness and regulatory focus on net-zero transitions in the region, while noting that legal landscapes vary significantly between countries.

The report examines how climate change acts as a risk multiplier in Mainland Southeast Asia, specifically Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. It identifies state governance capacity and social and economic inequality as the primary drivers of regional insecurity. Through four scenarios—ranging from 'Paralyzed States, Vulnerable Populations' to 'Building Resilience, Strengthening Communities'—the analysis explores how these drivers influence outcomes like food insecurity, forced migration, and the proliferation of criminal networks. The document recommends that external stakeholders support policies to reduce inequality, engage regional security services for cooperation, and utilize ASEAN as a platform for climate risk mitigation to navigate the geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China.

The document examines the gap between scientific recognition of transboundary climate risks and the current local focus of multilateral adaptation finance. It proposes a shift toward 'systemic resilience' to address risks that cross borders via shared ecosystems, trade, and financial flows.

The author contends that reducing food loss and waste is a non-contentious solution to climate change and biodiversity loss, yet it remains under-adopted by governments. While some countries have set targets aligned with SDG 12.3, only 38 nations have included food loss and waste in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). The text highlights that agriculture drives 70% of terrestrial biodiversity loss and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, with rotting food in landfills serving as the third largest cause of methane emissions.

The report assesses the South African tourism sector's employment landscape, highlighting the severe job losses caused by Covid-19 and the systemic barriers to inclusive growth. It argues that the sector is dominated by small, often informal businesses and white-owned enterprises, leading to precarious working conditions for the predominantly Black, female, and youth workforce. The document critiques the government's recovery efforts, such as the Tourism Relief Fund and the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, for lacking a 'decent work' framing and insufficient fiscal support. It recommends a 'whole of government' approach, including visa reform, domestic market stimulation, and a just transition to a green economy, to ensure a more sustainable and inclusive recovery.

The 7th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO7) analyzes energy demand, supply, and electricity generation across the ASEAN region through four scenarios: Baseline, AMS Targets (ATS), APAEC Targets (APS), and Least-Cost Optimisation (LCO). It finds that without policy intervention, energy demand will triple by 2050 and fossil fuels will continue to dominate. However, implementing national and regional policies can significantly reduce total final energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The report emphasizes the need for increased energy efficiency, higher renewable energy penetration, and regional grid interconnection to ensure energy security and sustainability.

The report examines the intersection of air pollution and labor markets in East and Southeast Asia, highlighting a significant gap in research and policy regarding informal workers. It finds that while formal sectors are regulated, informal workers—including street vendors and agricultural laborers—face high exposure with minimal social protection. Health burdens are highest in China and Mongolia for ambient pollution, and in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar for household pollution. The report argues that current solutions are overly technocentric and fail to address the social inequalities and structural vulnerabilities that determine exposure levels.

The Ivory Initiative (2018-2022) focused on closing legal ivory markets in Asia and reducing demand among Chinese consumers through policy engagement and behavioral science. The initiative achieved significant reductions in ivory availability in China, with physical outlets dropping by 86% and online adverts by 86% by 2021. It successfully advocated for bans in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan PoC, and Singapore, while strengthening laws in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Demand reduction efforts, including the #TravelIvoryFree campaign, saw the proportion of Chinese consumers intending to buy ivory fall by nearly half between 2017 and 2021. The report concludes that these efforts contributed to a decline in African elephant poaching, with the Proportion of Illegally Killed Elephants (PIKE) in 2021 reaching its lowest level since 2003.

The document warns against the proliferation of LNG import terminals in Europe, arguing they will not solve the immediate energy crisis and will create long-term fossil fuel dependency. It calls on private financial institutions to deny funding for these projects to prevent carbon lock-in and mitigate methane emissions.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is a flexible economic initiative launched by the United States in May 2022 with 13 partner countries. Organized into four pillars—connected economy, resilient economy, clean economy, and fair economy—the framework avoids traditional tariff liberalization to prevent domestic political backlash. Early analysis suggests waning enthusiasm among partners, with some countries requesting transition periods for binding commitments and critics arguing that the lack of U.S. concessions on market access reduces the framework's credibility. While the U.S. aims to reassert influence in the region through technical assistance in decarbonization and digital standards, the durability of the IPEF remains uncertain as partners await tangible outcomes.

The report examines GHG emissions from shrimp aquaculture, noting a wide range of intensities (2 to 99 kgCO2e/kg retail product) driven by production methods, feed, and land-use change. It highlights that while intensive systems are more common and generally less GHG-intensive per unit, the conversion of mangroves for extensive ponds creates massive emissions. Key mitigation opportunities include improving feed conversion ratios (FCR), adopting conversion-free feed, and transitioning to renewable energy.

The report contends that Europe's rapid expansion of LNG import capacity in response to the Russian gas crisis is disproportionate and environmentally damaging. It argues that new terminals will not address short-term energy needs due to long construction timelines, will create carbon lock-in, and increase methane emissions, particularly from US shale gas. The author asserts that existing capacity is sufficient to meet demand under net-zero scenarios and that funds should instead be diverted to renewable energy and energy efficiency to avoid worsening energy poverty and impacting the Global South.

The document examines the challenges African countries face in accessing sustainable finance for regional infrastructure, noting a significant financing deficit and a lack of bankable projects. It highlights the disparity between climate mitigation and adaptation finance, arguing that adaptation is more critical for Africa's vulnerability. The brief analyzes the ASEAN regional approach—specifically its sustainability taxonomies and the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility—as a model for Africa. It evaluates current AU initiatives, such as the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa and the Green Infrastructure Corridor for Intra-African Trade, and recommends integrating sustainability more deeply into AfCFTA protocols to attract investment and enhance climate resilience.

The lower Songkhram River basin, the last free-flowing tributary of the Mekong, supports over 14,000 households through capture fisheries and floodplain agriculture. Despite being protected under the Ramsar Convention, the Mekong River Commission, and Thailand's Master Plan for Integrated Biodiversity Management, these wetlands face threats from hydropower dams in the upper Mekong, agricultural expansion, and industrial pollution. Current management is hindered by a lack of coordinated procedures, the marginalization of traditional knowledge, and the prioritization of development over ecological conservation. The document recommends strengthening collaborative governance, valuing wetland ecosystem services, and increasing financial flows for conservation to ensure regional food and water security.

The document addresses the investment gap for climate-smart infrastructure in developing countries, where high perceived risks lead to high risk premiums and non-bankable projects. It defines de-risking as the reallocation or reduction of risk through policy measures (establishing rules and mandates) and financial measures (using public capital to bear risk). Three examples illustrate these mechanisms: the Green Climate Fund's anchor equity in Chile's Espejo de Tarapacá project, the Africa Energy Guarantee Facility's multi-layered insurance chain, and Climate Investor Two's tiered tranche structure. The guide concludes that while not applicable to all projects, strategic de-risking leverages small amounts of public capital to mobilize large-scale private investment.