In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Mia Watanabe, Climate Campaigner at Oil Change International, about the real costs of Australia’s gas strategy and its wider implications for Southeast Asia’s energy future. Australia has become one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, but this dependence on fossil fuels raises serious concerns over environmental, social, and economic impacts. Mia explains how the continued push for LNG undermines climate goals across Asia, with public financ...
In this episode of Energy Insights, we sit down with Amy Kong and Yu Sun Chin, from Zero Carbon Analytics. Together, they provide valuable insights into the complexities of Southeast Asia’s energy future, where the shift towards clean energy is both an opportunity and a challenge. Amy and Yu discuss the region’s clean energy investment trends, the ongoing role of fossil fuels like LNG, and the policy gaps that are slowing the transition to a low-carbon economy. They dive into the role of fore...
The global energy shift towards renewables is gaining momentum, but what role does investment play in this transition? In this episode of Energy Insights, we explore the key findings from the World Energy Investment 2025 report. From the rapid growth of renewables to the continued dominance of fossil fuels, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in scaling up clean energy investments. As the world moves away from fossil fuels, we delve into the financial trends, barriers to progress, and...
In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Joel Chester (Cheng) Pagulayan, Climate Justice Portfolio Manager at Oxfam Pilipinas, about the Philippines’ energy shift. Despite the government’s clean energy goals, continued reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) poses serious risks to both the climate and economy. Cheng discusses the need for a just transition, policy gaps, and the importance of community-led renewable energy projects in overcoming these challenges. Read the article her...
China has emerged as a global leader in renewable energy, rapidly scaling its solar, wind, and hydropower capacities. But what does this mean for Southeast Asia, which is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels? China's energy transition is shaping the region's energy future—pushing for clean energy investments, cross-border cooperation, and regulatory reforms to move away from coal dependency. In this episode of Energy Insights, we explore China’s renewable energy expansion and its growing in...
In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Dr. Utkarshaa Varshney, a leading energy transition consultant specialising in solar, wind, and hydrogen projects. With over five years of international experience, she shares her journey and insights into the challenges and opportunities for women in energy leadership. Dr. Varshney discusses the critical role of gender inclusivity in energy transition strategies, the barriers women face in technical and leadership roles, and how gender-focus...
Japan has secured a historic LNG deal with the United States, a move positioned as a step towards greater energy security. However, this decision raises pressing questions about its alignment with climate commitments and its broader influence on regional energy policies. As the world accelerates towards decarbonisation, is this agreement a necessary short-term measure or a prolonged dependence on fossil fuels? Read the article here: https://energytracker.asia/japan-to-buy-record-amounts-of-l...
In this episode of Energy Insights, we explore the critical issue of captive coal power in Indonesia, a significant obstacle to the country’s 2040 coal phase-out target. Captive coal plants, which operate off-grid to supply energy to industries like nickel production, are expanding rapidly, locking industries into long-term fossil fuel dependency. This episode examines the environmental and public health impacts of this trend, highlighting projections of increased air pollution and premature ...
This episode of Energy Insights critically examines the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), an initiative aimed at advancing decarbonisation across 11 countries in Asia and the Pacific. While AZEC aspires to promote regional collaboration and sustainable energy development, its dependence on fossil fuel-based technologies, including LNG, CCS, and ammonia co-firing, raises important questions about its alignment with decarbonisation goals. Drawing on insights from the Asia Zero Emission Commu...
This episode of Energy Insights explores the contrasts shaping Asia’s renewable energy landscape. With surging energy demands and immense potential for renewable transformation, Asia is both a challenge and an opportunity in the global energy transition. The discussion focuses on the successes of countries like China, India, and Vietnam, where ambitious policies and investments are driving renewable energy progress. It also examines the obstacles faced by nations such as Indonesia and Pakist...
COP29 has concluded in Baku, Azerbaijan, leaving the global community to grapple with its outcomes. In this episode of Energy Insights, we take a deep dive into the critical takeaways from this year’s UN Climate Change Conference. Was it the pivotal moment we hoped for, or yet another missed opportunity in the fight against climate change? The discussion covers the ongoing challenges with climate finance, including the failure to meet the $100 billion annual commitment, and examines the pers...
Energy Insights speaks with Teresa Anderson, the global climate justice lead at ActionAid International, about all things climate finance in the run-up to COP29 in Azerbaijan. We talked about a broad range of climate finance-related topics that include the $100 billion a year promise, loss and damage finance, the contentious relationships between countries at climate negotiations, expanding the public finance donor based to other high-income countries, fossil fuel levies, issues related to in...
Energy Insights speaks with Abdul Waheed Bhutto. Abdul Waheed Bhutto is an academic researcher and the Pro Vice Chancellor at Dawood University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan. He has authored numerous publications and secured significant research grants, in the field of sustainable energy, renewable resources, and biomass utilisation. He established the Biomass Conversion and Green Chemicals Recovery Technology laboratory, received Research Productivity Awards. We spoke about...
Energy Insights speaks with Mark Hutchinson, the director and chair of the Southeast Asia Task Force at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). In this interview, we delve into a recent report published by GWEC about the potential of offshore wind and its impact on South Korea's economy. We also explore the challenges facing offshore wind, the supply chain implications for the offshore wind industry in South Korea, the response to the pushback by local fishing communities, and strategies for w...
In this episode of Energy Insights, we recap the G7's climate commitments and the G7 environment ministers' meeting in Turin, Italy. Topics include the pressure leading up to the meeting and summit and what the world's most powerful economies were doing to tackle climate change. Other topics include what the G7 is doing about coal, the worries around the G7's coal phaseout timeline, the continued endorsement of gas as a bridge fuel, the G7's climate finance commitments, existing climate finan...
Energy Insights speaks with Liming Qiao, the Asia Director at the Global Wind Energy Council. Our conversation with Liming Qiao delves into a range of crucial topics. We explore the ambitious goal of tripling renewable energy capacity, the potential supply chain challenges for renewable rollouts in Asia, and the role of governments and the private sector in incentivising secure supply chains. We also discuss the complex issue of job losses in the fossil fuel industry as the world transi...
Energy Insights speaks with Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at the South Asia branch of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). We talk about many topics that revolve around the upcoming Indian election and where energy fits into that picture, including an overview of India's renewable energy capacity right now, how much Modi's BJP government can be credited with spurring clean energy growth, the dangers of India simultaneously walking down two energy pathways at the same time with r...
Energy Insights speaks with Farwa Aamer about all things women, energy, and climate change. Farwa is the director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York. Prior to this, she led research on security, political, and socio-economic dimensions of transboundary river governance in the Himalayan region, along with other issues revolving around water, energy, climate change, and sustainable development across South Asia. Topics included climate change and its di...
Energy Insights speaks with Afu Utami about the recent Indonesian elections and energy policy in one of Asia’s fastest-growing countries. Afu is one of the founders of the technology-based political education movement Bijak Pemilu. This initiative aims to encourage voters to become politically engaged and educated, and it won the MIT Solve Global Competition in 2023. Afu is also the founder and CEO of Think Policy, an organization that aims to encourage policy ecosystem improvement and inno...
In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Janna Smith about all things renewables growth, challenges and opportunities in Southeast Asia. Topics include Southeast Asia's renewables potential, where countries are doing well, what countries are leading and the challenges associated with accelerating clean energy growth in the region. Janna Smith is a solar and wind researcher with Global Energy Monitor and the lead author of the organization's latest Race to the Top: Southeast Asia re...