Outlook 2025: Southeast Asia – defining a new narrative for net zero
The region’s fast-growing economies stand at a pivotal juncture, with the opportunity to drive a sustainable growth strategy that will keep the world’s net-zero ambitions alive
The new energy order is set to be shaped by the rapidly developing economies of Southeast Asia—particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Once dubbed ‘tiger cubs’ for their vast economic promise, these nations are now maturing into significant players in the global economy. Southeast Asia is expected to experience one of the largest growths in energy demand over the coming decade. How this region powers its growth will be crucial in determining the world’s ability to respond to climate change and achieve net-zero emissions. Economic growth and energy demand Southeast Asia’s population is expected to grow from more than 670m today to become the world’s third-larg
Also in this section
12 March 2026
Role of world’s largest carbon cap-and-trade market under scrutiny as war in Iran threatens to drive EU energy costs to unsustainable levels
10 March 2026
Europe urgently needs to bring more projects to FID, as CCS investors warn they might divert capital to faster-growing regions
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty
