South-east Asia’s green leap needs support from Singapore’s private sector

SOUTH-EAST Asia is at a vital tipping point when it comes to tackling climate change.

Home to many of the world’s fastest-growing economies, if South-east Asia’s consumer class more than doubles over the next 30 years, as expected, the region will see a vast increase in the consumption of cars, air-conditioning, larger homes and higher protein diets.

This is cause for celebration as hundreds of millions rise into prosperity for the first time. For the climate agenda, it should not necessarily be cause for alarm – but it does require an immediate, coordinated response.