Features
Climate Finance at COP30: Can Developing Countries Expect a Breakthrough?
As COP30 unfolds in Belém, developing nations press for action over pledges, urging a shift from climate finance commitments to real-world implementation. The toll of climate disasters in 2025 underscores the urgency: loss and damage funding remains far short of what’s needed, even as new tools and debt-for-climate swaps begin to unlock potential investments.
What COP30 Should Deliver to Advance the ASEAN Power Grid
The regional grid, a decades-old concept, could significantly accelerate Southeast Asia’s transition to renewables, ensuring stable, secure, clean and affordable electricity for countries in the region. However, for that to happen, leaders at COP30 must address the policy and financing roadblocks impeding the initiative.
Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy Trends 2025: Capacity to Double by 2030
Despite the positive trends, the IEA warns that the COP28 to triple clean energy capacity remains out of reach. To get back on track, countries should minimise policy uncertainties, reduce permitting timelines, increase grid investments and expand flexibility to facilitate the integration of variable renewables and derisk financing.
Is Renewable Energy Expensive? Or Is It the Cheapest Power Source on Earth?
For years, sceptics questioned the cost of renewable energy, but the data now tells a different story. Renewables are not only the cheapest source of new electricity but also the fastest-growing, having decisively outcompeted fossil fuels on price. This surge is driving down energy bills and has led to renewables overtaking coal in the global power mix for the first time.
Fossil Fuel
Proposed Ammonia Co-firing Solutions More Expensive than Renewables
The LCOE for ammonia co-firing exceeds that of renewable electricity, rendering Southeast Asia’s plans economically unfeasible. According to experts, instead of exposing themselves to the financial, environmental and health risks associated with ammonia co-firing, ASEAN nations should prioritise the accelerated deployment of renewable energy.
Gas Turbine Shortage in Vietnam and the Philippines
Experts note that delays, exacerbated by global gas turbine shortages, and regulatory and bankability challenges are giving clear market signals to move away from gas projects and scale up renewables and battery storage deployments instead.
Region
Why Smog in Pakistan Is Worse Than Ever in 2025
Pakistan is gripped by a year-round smog emergency, with PM2.5 levels far exceeding WHO guidelines and cities like Lahore among the world's most polluted. The crisis stems from a combination of industrial emissions, unregulated brick kilns, vehicle exhausts and seasonal crop burning, all of which are compounded by cross-border pollution and ageing infrastructure. Urgent, system-wide action — accelerating the adoption of renewables, reducing emissions from transport, and strengthening regulations — is needed to safeguard public health and restore the country’s air quality.
Singapore’s 2025 Election Sets Stage for Renewable Energy Strategy
Singapore's recent general election propelled the ruling party's renewable energy mandate and set the stage for the city-state's sustainable future. However, obstacles remain, including a limited landmass for solar and wind power projects, an overreliance on natural gas in the power sector and coordinating and managing renewable energy imports from its neighbours in the region.
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