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This report by Ember examines the energy demands and decarbonisation pathways for data centres in the ASEAN region, focusing on the intersection of AI-driven growth, tropical cooling requirements, and the availability of renewable energy.

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 report chapter by Ember examines the grid planning strategies of the ASEAN region, highlighting a significant gap between current national transmission expansion plans and the targets required to meet climate goals and rising electricity demand.

This report by Ember argues that modernizing and interconnecting electricity grids is the primary driver for unlocking solar and wind energy investment across ASEAN. It highlights a significant gap between current national transmission plans and the International Energy Agency's (IEA) requirements, while proposing a six-pillar framework for future-ready grid development to enhance regional energy security and economic growth.

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.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and its partners analyzes global coal power trends in 2024, highlighting a contradiction between record-low new capacity additions globally and record-high construction starts in China and high proposal volumes in India. It specifically examines the strategies of South Korea and Japan to extend the life of coal plants through ammonia co-firing, arguing that these technologies are costly and inconsistent with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the environmental, climate, health, and financial risks associated with the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure. It highlights how improper closure and the proliferation of abandoned wells lead to methane leaks and toxic contamination, while corporate strategies and regulatory loopholes often shift the massive financial burden of cleanup from operators to the public.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the financial and technical viability of phasing out coal-powered electricity in Asia. It argues that prioritizing the cessation of new coal projects is critical, as most existing plants will have recouped their investment costs by 2040. The document critiques co-firing as an expensive and inefficient alternative to retirement and highlights innovative financing models—such as renewables bundling and PPA replacements—that can make early retirement financially attractive. It emphasizes the need for concessional financing from developed nations to ensure a just transition for coal-dependent communities.

The November 2024 Warming Projections Global Update by the NewClimate Institute reports that global warming projections for 2100 have stagnated over the last three years. Current policies set the world on a path toward 2.7°C of warming, while the most optimistic scenario, assuming full implementation of all announced targets, projects 1.9°C. The report highlights a critical disconnect between the escalating climate crisis and the urgency of government policy implementation, noting that while renewable energy growth is record-breaking, it is being offset by all-time high fossil fuel subsidies.

The 'SEI strategy 2025–29' outlines the Stockholm Environment Institute's strategic framework to address global environmental and sustainable development challenges. The strategy focuses on three primary impact areas—climate transitions, nature and resources, and health and wellbeing—while introducing 'accelerating implementation' as a new strategic outcome to move from policy goals to on-the-ground action.

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.

A World Resources Institute (WRI) analysis reveals that 25% of global crops are grown in areas with highly stressed or unreliable water supplies. The report highlights the vulnerability of staple crops and the rapid depletion of water resources in the few countries that dominate irrigated crop production, while also noting the increasing instability of rainfed agriculture due to climate change.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the expansion and dynamics of global carbon markets, categorizing them into compliance-based, voluntary, and multilateral systems under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It analyzes the trade implications of these markets, including competitiveness concerns and the use of mechanisms like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while highlighting the specific opportunities and financial challenges facing developing countries in adopting these tools.

Ember analysis indicates that global solar capacity additions will reach 593 GW in 2024, a 29% increase over 2023. This growth is driven by continued dominance in China and the US, as well as emerging markets like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, significantly exceeding several industry forecasts.

This policy brief examines the 'socio-bioeconomy', focusing on diversified, small-scale bioeconomy pathways centered on local community development and the sustainable use of biodiversity for bio-based goods and services.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how climate change, poverty, and marginalization drive labour migration and affect children in Southeast Asia, specifically focusing on those who migrate or are left behind.

The report "Financiando uma Bioeconomia Global Sustentável" (September 2024) analyzes the current and future interaction between finance and the bioeconomy. It advocates for a sustainable, equitable, and nature-positive bioeconomy as a cornerstone for a low-carbon global economy, emphasizing the role of the G20, international cooperation, and innovative financial instruments to bridge investment gaps and protect biodiversity.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the impact of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia. While the EUDR aims to eliminate deforestation from the EU market for six key commodities, the report highlights significant barriers for smallholders—including high compliance costs, lack of technical capacity, and land tenure insecurity—that risk excluding them from global value chains. The authors propose establishing knowledge hubs, financial support mechanisms, and enhanced stakeholder coordination to ensure an inclusive transition.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) analyzes contributions from Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) members regarding the protection of human health within a proposed international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. It focuses on the work of two ad hoc intersessional open-ended expert groups meeting in Bangkok in August 2024 to inform the final negotiation session (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, in November 2024.

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.