A new partnership for a sustainable energy future in South-east Asia

THE global energy landscape is witnessing rapid and wide-ranging change driven by an unprecedented growth of renewables. This transformation is reshaping the global energy paradigm, bringing new opportunities for sustainable growth and livelihoods. Nowhere are these opportunities more available and transformational than in the 10 states that make up the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).

South-east Asia is home to some of the world's fastest-growing developing economies. Rich in natural resources and with young, vibrant societies, Asean's member countries have secured strong, consistent economic growth for half a century. Cooperation, trade, and abundant conventional energy resources have been instrumental in its progress. Now, Asean countries are well positioned to build a new and increasingly inclusive economic future, based on low-carbon energy.

There is a formidable global momentum behind renewable energy development. Advancements in technology and cost reductions have underpinned the rise of renewables as a mainstream source of global power. Last year, additions in renewable energy capacity reached 168 gigawatts (GW) globally and in each of the last six years, renewable power has outpaced all fossil fuels worldwide.