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The report argues that commercial insect farming in high-income, temperate regions often fails to meet its theoretical sustainability promises. While insects have lower greenhouse gas emissions than beef, they often perform worse than the soymeal and fishmeal they are intended to replace. The authors identify seven key challenges: outdated life cycle assessments, under-utilization of organic waste as feed, limited substitution of meat in human diets, the reinforcement of industrial animal agriculture through use as feed, biodiversity risks from unintentional releases, emerging animal welfare concerns, and the opportunity cost of diverting investment from more promising plant-based or cultivated proteins.

In 2024, global public financial support for fossil fuels reached USD 1.2 trillion, nearly five times the USD 254 billion provided to clean energy. The analysis highlights a cycle where energy price shocks lead to regressive blanket subsidies that entrench fossil fuel dependency. While international public finance is trending toward clean energy, G20 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) remain heavily invested in fossil fuels, with 81% of their 2024 capital expenditure funding fossil infrastructure. The authors advocate for replacing blanket subsidies with targeted social protection and aligning SOE investments with transition goals to build resilient, low-carbon energy systems.

The report argues that electricity planning in Southeast Asia, specifically in Indonesia, Viet Nam, Thailand, and the Philippines, is overly focused on GDP and industrial growth, which masks a "well-being gap" in essential services. Using the Decent Living Standards framework, it estimates a sufficiency floor of 620–1,270 kWh per capita per year, finding that while aggregate generation often meets this threshold, poor allocation and affordability prevent basic needs from being met.

In 2025, global electricity generation saw a significant shift toward low-carbon sources, with solar and wind reaching a combined 17.3% share of total generation. Solar was the fastest-growing source, adding 636 TWh and meeting 75% of global demand growth. Conversely, coal's share of global electricity fell below one-third for the first time on record to 33.0%, and renewable generation exceeded coal generation for the first time. Low-carbon sources (including nuclear) reached 42.6% of total generation, while the emissions intensity of electricity dropped by 2.7% in 2025, the largest annual decline in two decades.

The briefing examines the impact of energy supply disruptions stemming from the US-Iran war, noting that the current crisis is larger than the 1970s oil embargo. It argues that while governments are using short-term fixes like strategic reserves and subsidies, the long-term solution lies in electrification, demand-side efficiency, and the scaling of 'green molecules' like hydrogen and ammonia. The text highlights specific vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia and the US, and suggests that mitigating methane leakage and flaring could recover energy volumes equivalent to approximately half of worldwide LNG trade.

The report analyzes the 'twin fossil shocks' of the 2020s—the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the 2026 shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz—comparing them to the 1970s oil crises. It contends that unlike the 1970s, today's energy transition is driven by 'electrotech' (solar, wind, batteries, and EVs) that is cheaper, faster to deploy, and more secure than fossil fuels. The authors suggest these shocks will accelerate the absolute peak of fossil fuel demand, particularly by pushing LNG out of power generation and oil out of road transport, especially in Asia. The document concludes with policy recommendations to prioritize electrification and remove fossil fuel subsidies to end fuel dependency.

The 2026 Middle East crisis, triggered by conflict in Iran, caused a spike in oil and gas prices and led some Southeast Asian nations to switch from gas to coal for electricity. However, the report argues that coal is not insulated from geopolitical shocks and carries high hidden health and climate costs. Analysis shows that replacing planned gas expansion with solar and storage would save ASEAN USD 4 billion by 2030, whereas replacing it with coal would increase costs. Despite this, ASEAN coal demand is projected to rise by 25% by 2030, driven largely by Indonesia and Vietnam, though Indonesia has committed to phasing out fossil fuels within 10 to 15 years.

The report analyzes the first round of Article 6.2 reviews, finding that every reviewed Initial Report contained inconsistencies with reporting requirements. It argues that the Technical Expert Review Team (TERT) lacks the mandate to judge credit quality or enforce compliance, rendering the process a 'box-ticking exercise'. Case studies on Switzerland, Ghana, Guyana, and Vanuatu illustrate how high-risk or non-compliant credits can be traded despite transparency gaps. The author recommends extending the TERT mandate to include quality assessments and prohibiting the trade of credits until reviews are finalized.

The report identifies systemic barriers to climate finance in four Asian countries, highlighting widespread capacity gaps in project preparation and risk assessment, fragmented governance, and regulatory uncertainty. It emphasizes that while national strategies often exist on paper, implementation is hindered by a lack of coordination between ministries and a failure to integrate climate priorities into local government mandates. The study specifically notes the exclusion of vulnerable communities and SMEs from finance flows due to a lack of tailored instruments and information. To unlock resources, the authors recommend building climate literacy, clarifying institutional responsibilities, and deploying blended finance tools to de-risk private investment.

The document examines how reliance on imported oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exposes Asian economies to price shocks and supply disruptions, particularly those stemming from conflicts in the Middle East. It analyzes the economic impacts on countries like Singapore, Thailand, and Japan, highlighting how fuel price volatility drives inflation and weakens currencies. The report argues that returning to coal as a short-term fallback is economically and environmentally risky compared to renewables. It recommends investing in regional connected grids and clean technology supply chains to build long-term resilience and energy security.

Carbon Market Watch advises the European Commission against incorporating international credits into the EU's 2040 climate target. The organization argues that such a move would ignore scientific advice for 90-95% domestic emission reductions, violate the spirit of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and expose the EU to significant financial and reputational risks. The document highlights systemic failures in carbon credit integrity, including over-crediting and human rights violations, and estimates that relying on credits for 5% of the target could result in EU emissions being 50% higher than a fully domestic target, costing up to €49.7 billion.

The report highlights the systemic risks of fossil fuel dependency, noting that three-quarters of the global population live in importing countries that spent $1.7 trillion on imports in 2024. It argues that the current crisis in the Middle East, particularly the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, serves as a catalyst for Asia to transition to electric technologies. The document asserts that scaling EVs, solar, wind, and heat pumps could reduce fossil fuel import bills by approximately 70%, with EVs already displacing 1.7 million barrels of oil per day in 2025.

Vietnam's solar power generation helps the country avoid approximately USD 594 million in fossil fuel import costs during the current energy price surge driven by the Iran war. While Vietnam leads Southeast Asia in solar and wind shares, it continues to prioritize coal and gas in its long-term power planning, increasing its vulnerability to global price shocks.

The document examines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in overcoming the technical challenges of integrating variable renewable energy (VRE) in Southeast Asia. It highlights five commercially proven AI applications: improving forecast accuracy to reduce reserve needs, enabling predictive maintenance to extend asset life, optimising dispatch to lower balancing costs, providing real-time control for grid security, and supporting dynamic line rating (DLR) to increase transmission capacity. The report provides global case studies—including examples from Google DeepMind, Siemens, and various utilities in the US, UK, and Belgium—to demonstrate how AI can reduce operational costs, curtailment, and carbon footprints while enhancing the reliability of power grids facing high VRE penetration.

The report argues that AI can significantly accelerate the energy transition in ASEAN by managing the complexity of rising variable renewable energy (VRE) shares. It identifies five key AI applications—forecasting, predictive maintenance, dispatch optimisation, real-time control, and dynamic line rating—that can reduce operational costs and emissions. While ASEAN shows strong digital readiness, current AI adoption is fragmented and pilot-based. The report estimates that widespread AI adoption could save up to $67 billion and reduce nearly 400 million tonnes of CO2 by 2035, provided that regulatory, data, and cybersecurity challenges are addressed.

This report finds that widespread AI adoption in ASEAN power systems could deliver up to $67 billion in cumulative cost savings and reduce nearly 400 million tonnes of CO2 by 2035.

As of the end of 2025, the Climate Bonds Initiative recorded a cumulative aligned GSS+ debt volume of USD6.8tn, with annual aligned volume reaching USD1.0tn for the third consecutive year. Green bonds remain the dominant label, accounting for 64% of 2025 aligned volume (USD653.5bn), while sustainability bonds reached a record annual volume of USD217.3bn. Europe leads globally in both annual and cumulative aligned volume, though the USA remains the largest single country source of cumulative aligned volume at USD887.4bn. The report also highlights the launch of the Climate Bonds Resilience Taxonomy (CBRT) to address the funding gap for climate adaptation and resilience, exemplified by the world's first CBRT-certified resilience bond issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) 2025 results report details the organization's progress in driving sustainable development through scientific research, capacity building, and policy engagement. Key achievements include the development of the 2025 Production Gap Report, the creation of the Integrated Guide for Business Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollutant Emission Assessment, and the support of Kazakhstan's NDC 3.0. SEI also highlights its 'One-SEI' programs, which foster cross-centre collaboration on themes such as sustainable transport, food systems, and finance. Organizationally, SEI reports a 52% reduction in air travel emissions per employee since 2017 and an increase in peer-reviewed journal outputs by 30% over 2024.

The paper examines the disconnect between trade and climate policies, which hinders the distribution of adaptation technologies to the Global South. It defines adaptation technology through three pillars—hardware, software, and orgware—and emphasizes that these tools are highly site-specific. The author identifies three primary challenges: a shallow understanding of adaptation among trade policy-makers, trade barriers such as high tariffs, and siloed discussions between the WTO and UNFCCC. To resolve this, the document recommends involving trade experts in National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) processes, reducing trade barriers, leveraging regional agreements, and supporting South-South cooperation.

The document examines the trend of ASEAN countries increasing LNG import infrastructure, with planned investments of USD 20.4 billion. It argues that LNG fails to provide true energy security due to its sensitivity to geopolitical shocks, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in the Middle East, and competition for supply with Europe. The author suggests that Southeast Asian nations should instead prioritize domestic renewable energy, leverage their own solar manufacturing capacity, and accelerate the ASEAN Power Grid to enhance resilience and reduce import dependency.