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This fact sheet by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the global economic and energy impacts 100 days into the Iran war, specifically focusing on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It details spikes in oil and gas prices, disruptions to fertiliser and food supply chains, and a subsequent surge in clean energy policy and investment, particularly within Asia.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) has issued guidelines for its May 2026 Innovation Challenges, a call for proposals seeking transformative resilience solutions from entrepreneurs and organisations in the Global South. The initiative offers selected winners up to US$50,000 in funding and a comprehensive support package including mentoring, a leadership academy, and communications assistance to scale innovations that address climate and environmental risks.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines how the start of the Iran war and subsequent fossil fuel price shocks have accelerated consumer and government interest in clean energy technologies, specifically solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and electric vehicles (EVs), across six European markets: Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the dispute settlement function within national investment laws, based on a review of 167 laws. It examines the prevalence of adjudicative mechanisms like national courts and arbitration, as well as non-adjudicative options such as administrative review and amicable settlement. The report warns against the risks of 'advance consent' to international arbitration and provides a framework for policy-makers to assess and reform their national investment laws to minimize legal and financial risks.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the dispute settlement functions within 167 national investment laws. It examines the prevalence of various mechanisms—including national courts, arbitration, administrative review, and amicable settlements—and provides a framework for policymakers to design or reform these laws to minimize legal and financial risks, specifically warning against the inclusion of prior consent to international arbitration.

This report by Ember examines the risks associated with integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the power sector, specifically within the ASEAN region. It details technical, operational, and governance challenges—including data limitations, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and regulatory gaps—while providing policy recommendations to ensure a safe and efficient energy transition.

This report by Ember examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can facilitate the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) in ASEAN power systems. 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 the region shows strong AI readiness, adoption is currently fragmented and limited to pilot projects. The report estimates that widespread AI adoption could save up to $67 billion and reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 400 million tonnes by 2035.

This policy brief by Ember examines the financing landscape for ASEAN's energy transition, highlighting a significant investment gap and the varying roles of bilateral partners like China, Japan, and the United States. It argues that the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship provides a strategic opportunity to coordinate regional industrial strategies—such as Indonesia's nickel downstreaming and Viet Nam's solar manufacturing—to move the region up the clean energy value chain.

Smart grid investments in ASEAN could create up to 650,000 jobs and attract global industrial investment by providing reliable, low-carbon energy. To scale from current pilot projects to a regional system, the report suggests a dual-track approach: regional harmonisation of technical standards and national focus on financial cost recovery. The total investment need for the region is estimated at $4-10.7 billion.

This report by Ember examines the critical role of grid reliability and modernization in sustaining the economic growth of the ASEAN region. It argues that while the region has made progress in reducing outage durations, the rapid expansion of variable renewable energy (VRE) requires a transition from basic grid modernization to 'smart grids' incorporating digital intelligence and demand-side flexibility to avoid significant economic losses and energy curtailment.

This report by Ember argues that smart grids are essential for ASEAN to integrate increasing shares of renewable energy, maintain industrial competitiveness, and reduce economic losses from power outages. It estimates that investments between $4 billion and $10.7 billion are required to modernize the region's power systems, which could in turn create up to 649,000 jobs and unlock $2.3 billion in annual economic value by 2040.

This report by Ember discusses the ASEAN Power Grid (APG), a regional initiative to integrate electricity systems across Southeast Asia to maximize renewable energy potential and enhance energy security. It outlines the technical goals of the ASEAN Interconnection Master Plan Study (AIMS), the potential for unlocking additional solar and wind capacity through cross-border trade, and the institutional barriers that must be overcome to transition from bilateral trade to a cohesive regional market.

This policy brief analyzes the implementation of the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment (RtHE) in Southeast Asia. While legal frameworks exist, the document identifies significant gaps in procedural rights: information is often withheld due to commercial interests, public participation in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) is frequently superficial, and environmental courts face resource constraints and the risk of being weaponized via SLAPPs. The brief highlights community-led alternatives to EIAs and the role of independent grievance mechanisms and judicial capacity-building as key levers for improvement, noting the development of a regional ASEAN Declaration on RtHE as of December 2024.

The 2025 Global Forum, hosted by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Government of Barbados in Bridgetown, brought together over 1,300 participants to address energy poverty and the energy transition in the Global South and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The event resulted in the Barbados Declaration, the launch of several Energy Transition and Investment Plans (ETIPs), and the mobilization of over $500 million in new financial commitments for clean energy projects.

This report by Ember analyzes the 2023 power sector landscape in ASEAN, highlighting that electricity demand growth was entirely met by fossil fuels. It examines the costs and reliability of various renewable energy sources, the potential for regional grid interconnection, and the role of carbon financing and policy reforms in accelerating the transition to clean energy.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to disseminate this technology. It analyzes the achievements of initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund, while identifying critical challenges including gaps between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to support sustainable development. While China has established numerous bilateral agreements and funds, the document identifies significant challenges including a gap between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the tension between expanding gas infrastructure and adopting renewable energy in Southeast Asia. It warns that current gas expansion plans, requiring over $220 billion in investment, risk locking the region into volatile fuel dependencies and delaying the energy transition, despite the cost-competitiveness and vast potential of solar and wind power.

This briefing paper critiques the G20's "Better, Bolder and Bigger" framework for Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) reform, arguing that its private-sector-first approach prioritizes profit over people and planet. The authors highlight risks including the erosion of accountability, continued fossil fuel financing, and a lack of gender-sensitive strategies, urging a shift toward grants-based financing and systemic democratization.

This January 2024 report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes utility-scale solar and wind power capacity across ASEAN countries. It finds that while the region has seen a 20% increase in operating capacity since January 2023 and possesses a massive pipeline of prospective projects, actual construction rates are low, and the transition is hindered by continued reliance on coal and gas infrastructure.