Decarbonisation Challenges in Southeast Asia: Electricity, Transportation, Agriculture and More

As global temperatures continue to rise and the effects of climate change become more pronounced, the need for decarbonisation becomes increasingly urgent. Southeast Asia is a region that is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, yet faces significant obstacles in achieving decarbonisation. From political and economic challenges to issues of infrastructure and energy policy, Southeast Asia must overcome a wide range of obstacles before it can successfully transition to a low-carbon future. This article will explore some of the key obstacles to decarbonisation in Southeast Asia and examine potential solutions to mitigate them.


Southeast Asia is not exempt from the global challenge of decarbonisation. Although the region is responsible for less than 7% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it has seen an exponential increase in its net emissions from 1990 to 2019, and is projected to contribute significantly to the world’s GHG emissions in the coming decades due to economic and population growth. However, decarbonisation remains poorly understood and indefinite, and the lack of a standard definition is hindering efforts. In order to decarbonise, governments must shift from over-dependence on fossil fuels for the generation of electricity to renewable energy sources such as hydro, solar, geothermal and wind power. This shift is challenged by subsidies used to alleviate poverty, which ultimately undermine the energy transition by committing countries to carbon-lock in of fossil fuel technologies, decrease competitiveness of renewable energy generation, and discourage renewable energy investors. In addition, poor energy infrastructure in the region makes it difficult to support the use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Another critical area of concern is transportation, which is a key contributor to GHG emissions in the region, and the agriculture sector, as six out of ten ASEAN member states are heavily reliant on the sector for economic development and growth. However, decarbonising this sector will be gargantuan as the sector is highly fragmented with over 100 million smallholder farmers in the region. Finally, there are limited resources, limited public awareness, and limited regional cooperation and political will and leadership that also hinder efforts towards decarbonisation.