Since the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26, numerous countries have expanded their strategies to approach net-zero emissions as promised by the 2016 multinational Paris Agreement. This includes the regional organization, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Southeast Asia’s economic position as a generally high growth region and its motivations on becoming energy independent has made green energy the new hotbed of investments with public-private partnerships. There is a robust pipeline of upcoming energy projects in the region despite the economic retractions stemming from the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Below is an overview of each ASEAN countries’ green transition strategies based on its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets from the 2016 Paris Agreement and each nation’s domestic policies.
Indonesia’s roadmap involves multiple-year ambitious infrastructural and policy targets from 2025-2060. These targets transform the country's reliance on fossil fuel power plants into newly developed renewable power plants and reduce Indonesia's carbon footprint. The government currently has a net-zero carbon emissions target of 2060.
Read more about Indonesia’s energy transition here.
Malaysia sets its green energy strategy through its Renewable Energy Roadmap (RER), after setting an NDC which would put its energy plans into the mainstream.The roadmap defines an energy transition framework that will be implemented from 2025 to 2030. The roadmap’s targets are built to be scalable and in the future, support the nation’s net-zero carbon emission target set in 2050.
Vietnam’s roadmap is ratified in its Green Growth Strategy for 2021-2030, Vision 2050. Its efforts to modernize its energy grids have started since 2014, with its previous energy plan valid from 2014-2020 through Decision 1393/QD-TTg, informed by the NDC made in 2016. The strategy itself has several pillars and aims for a national net zero emission target by 2050.
Singapore’s Green Plan has made plans until 2030 to transition the country into using renewable energy sources. The nation’s Energy Market Authority has also created a 2050 Committee to explore several plausible plans to reach its national netzero commitments in 2050.
The Philippines’ roadmap is based on a 25-year long-term vision known as the AmBisyon Natin 2040, informed by its NDC in 2016. To realize this vision, the Philippines Department of Energy responded with the formulation of the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2018-2040. It does not have a net-zero carbon emission target.
Through its upcoming National Energy Plan (NEP) 2022, Thailand has set a target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and a net-zero carbon emission target by 2065. The NEP will combine several of Thailand’s new renewable energy programs from its previous Power Development Programs (PDP).
Brunei’s energy plans are stated in its National Climate Change Policy (NCCP). The policy is a comprehensive national plan that has several key strategies in place for Brunei’s energy future - despite its economic reliance on fossil fuels. Like many others in the region, Brunei committed to a net-zero carbon emission target by 2050.
Myanmar’s green energy plans are outlined in its NDC, and are expanded in three government policies: the Myanmar Climate Change Policy (MCCP) (2019), Myanmar Climate Change Strategy (MCCS) (2018-2030), and Myanmar Climate Change Master Plan (MCCMP) (2018-2030). However, Myanmar’s overall climate strategy and its net-zero carbon emission targets are still under discussion.
Cambodian decarbonisation efforts are outlined in its NDC plans. Cambodia outlined a basic commitment to reduce its Business-As-Usual Greenhouse Gas emissions by 30% in 2030. It has a net zero emission target by 2050.
Laos adopted the Renewable Energy Development Strategy in 2011 and set a target of 30% small-scale renewables in the energy mix by 2025. Its NDC gives out a baseline emissions scenario, an unconditional mitigation scenario to 2030, as well as a more ambitious conditional mitigation scenario to 2030 towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
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