SERD Policy Talk (SPOT): Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Economy

As Southeast Asia slowly bounces back from the impact of COVID-19, a return to business as usual will not only be environmentally damaging but also economically and socially detrimental in the long term.

To date, eight countries in Southeast Asia have announced net-zero emissions pledges, accounting for about 91% of the region’s carbon emissions. There is added pressure for countries to meet energy security and emissions goals amid the energy crisis due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Consequently, countries face the challenge of designing and financing recovery that will put them on the path toward achieving net-zero economies between 2050 and 2065.

For this webinar, ADB's Shu Tian, David Dovan, Naeeda Crishna Morgado, ANU’s Lorraine Elliott, and WRI’s Marlon Apanada discussed what a low-carbon economy would look like for Southeast Asia along with the systemic, structural, and sectoral challenges affecting such a transition. They emphasized the need for better governance structures, policy mechanisms, and investments in new technologies, as well as discussed the important role of the private sector in amplifying the demand for sound government policies toward renewable energy.

This webinar was organized by the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Southeast Asia Department (SERD) as part of its SERD Policy Talk (SPOT) webinar series, which features conversations on new ideas and development beyond office walls. It aims to inspire people to explore issues outside their normal area of work. It also encourages active interaction and debate among the participants from varied perspectives and approaches.

The webinar was attended by over 100 ADB staff and external participants and was moderated by SERD’s Henry Ma.

SERD Policy Talk (SPOT) Series, organized by ADB's Southeast Asia Department, features conversations on new ideas and development beyond office walls. SPOT aims to inspire people to explore issues outside their normal area of work.