From headline trillions to actual millions: climate financing needs estimates in the age of implementation

As Thailand charts its path to carbon neutrality by 2050, this strategic analysis highlights the risks of continued reliance on natural gas — from rising electricity costs and supply insecurity to missed climate targets. Drawing on national data and stakeholder insights, it presents practical policy recommendations to support a more resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy system.

Over the past three decades, the five most steel-intensive Southeast Asian countries, Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam, Malaysia and the Philippines, have emerged as important players in the global steel sector, contributing three percent of global steel production. Rapid industrialisation and infrastructure development have significantly increased regional steel demand, while production in Southeast Asian countries has quadrupled over this period. 

However, the region has seen a surge in emission-intensive steel manufacturing investments, with steel sector emissions having almost doubled within the last five years. This highlights the urgent need to curb emissions, especially in the carbon-intensive steel sector.

As global trade dynamics evolve and low-cost steel imports grow, the Southeast Asian steel sector finds itself at a crossroads, either it continues to rely on fossil fuels, or it seizes the chance to lead with green technologies of the future. Policymakers now have a unique window of opportunity to shape this transition by aligning industrial growth with climate goals.

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the steel sector and sets out a clear roadmap for how Southeast Asia’s steel industry can achieve technically and economically viable net-zero emissions by the 2050s, supporting both regional and global decarbonisation goals while sustaining economic growth.

This report analyzes Southeast Asia’s rising demand for household refrigerators, highlighting energy use and the potential for savings through efficient models. It explores Minimum Energy Performance Standards, policy differences, and harmonization needs, emphasizing regional coordination to reduce energy consumption and support sustainable growth in ASEAN’s expanding refrigeration market.

A new report by the United Nations Development Programme, the University of Denver’s Pardee Institute, and Octopus Energy highlights how setting clear, time-bound renewable energy targets—supported by inclusive policies—can achieve a triple win: cutting emissions, boosting economic growth, and generating tangible social benefits.

This guide presents a practical, flexible framework for aligning national climate commitments with long-term low-emission strategies. It outlines key steps such as governance, stakeholder engagement, vision-setting, and financial planning. Designed for all countries, it includes real-world examples to support coherent, climate-resilient development aligned with both near-term and long-term goals.