Southeast Asia

Current Electoral Processes in Southeast Asia - Regional Learnings follows on from a seminar organised by IRASEC and Heinrich Böll Stiftung-Southeast Asia Regional Office, hosted by the Faculty of Political Science of Chulalongkorn University and with the support of the King Prajadhipok’s Institute, who provided a simultaneous translation in Thai language. 

According to the Global Climate Risk Index, among the top ten countries at risk to climate-related extreme weather events, three (3) countries are from Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Philippines, and Thailand). As these climate hazards increase in intensity, outweighing the ability of vulnerable groups and communities to adapt, losses and damages will also increase.

This is a Scoping Paper that has mapped out how COVID-19 impacted the activities and interventions of feminist movements in Southeast Asia (SEA). It aims to serve as a starting point for two audiences: those interested in gaining a broad overview of what is happening within this region and those looking to inform future strategies or discussions within the feminist movement.

This research examines Malaysia’s COVID-19 economic recovery plans and the extent to which they support a socially just, clean energy transition in the country. Despite government acknowledgement that a sustainable recovery can help transition to a climate resilient economy, provide jobs, and improve productivity, the study finds that the proportion of financing given to green initiatives in Malaysia’s pandemic stimulus packages is limited.

In this paper, we argue that renewable energy offers more than simply technological benefits to the energy sector; it also offers an opportunity for distributed energy resources (mini-grids, roof top solar) and community ownership and management of energy resources to advance national power development agendas. We draw on case studies from Cambodia and Vietnam to demonstrate that decentralized renewable energy options can provide rural communities with clean and affordable electricity that also offer a range of social, economic, environmental, technological and political benefits.

Myanmar’s energy planning is highly centralized. The state-managed energy infrastructure has struggled to meet growing demand for electricity and connect populations living in remote regions to the national electricity grid. The 2021 military coup has further undermined the centralized energy system. This paper highlights ongoing exclusions in energy access and evaluates the limitations of centralized electrification, before turning to examine the viability of decentralized offgrid energy options in Myanmar.

This report offers a valuable opportunity to the public and civil society organizations to encourage and push their governments to change the trajectory by which energy is generated, distributed, and accessed. It suggests opening energy systems to more democratic processes that enable people and communities to access sufficient, affordable, reliable, and renewable energy of their choice.

In terms of renewables, hydropower still dominates the regional energy landscape at 63% of renewable energy sources, while solar and wind energy contributed only 9% to the ASEAN energy mix in 2029. This publication briefly describes some key background notes, highlighting the Southeast Asia region’s energy profile, energy poverty, and climate change vulnerability.