To meet climate goals by 2035, Southeast Asia needs up to $190 billion in annual investments, five times the current level.
This figure, recently published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), represents a fivefold increase compared to existing investments. Specifically, building infrastructure, such as electricity grids to support renewable energy transmission, requires around $30 billion per year, double the current level.
Home to 9% of the world’s population, Southeast Asia accounts for 6% of global GDP, 5% of global energy demand, but has only attracted 2% of global clean energy investments. Meanwhile, the region is expected to be one of the main drivers of global energy demand in the next decade.
Under current policy scenarios, Southeast Asia will account for 25% of global energy demand growth by 2035, second only to India. By mid-century, the region’s energy demand will surpass that of the European Union.
Electricity demand is projected to grow by 4% annually, with renewables like wind, solar, bioenergy, and geothermal expected to contribute over one-third of this growth by 2035, according to the IEA report.
However, this is not enough to curb CO₂ emissions, which are expected to rise by 35% by mid-century. “Clean energy technologies are not expanding fast enough, and heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports is putting countries at risk in the future,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
Reversing this trend requires major efforts to align with COP28 climate goals and national targets. Eight out of ten ASEAN members have already committed to net-zero emissions.
According to the IEA, the clean energy transition has already benefited Southeast Asia, creating over 85,000 jobs since 2019 and unlocking potential for renewable technology expansion and critical mineral processing. Indonesia has emerged as a major lithium-ion battery producer due to its abundant nickel reserves. Meanwhile, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia are leading solar equipment manufacturers, second only to China.
Phiên An (as Reuters, IEA)
Source : https://vnexpress.net/dong-nam-a-can-190-ty-usd-dau-tu-nang-luong-sach-4807024.html
