News

The Philippines' Subic Bay Freeport Zone has vowed to become the first carbon-neutral economic zone, launching a series of net-zero initiatives. These plans include creating a net-zero roadmap for buildings, applying carbon capture technology, and more.

PepsiCo, the American snack and beverage giant with a 30-year presence in Vietnam, is expanding its operations with a $400 million investment in new factories located in Ha Nam and Long An province.

While Taiwan has recently rekindled discussions on nuclear energy due to the pro-nuclear stance of new officials, Southeast Asian countries, though not yet utilizing nuclear power, view it as crucial for achieving net-zero emissions.

Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister revealed the country's timeline for phasing out coal-fired power plants to achieve its net-zero commitment by 2050. By 2035, Malaysia aims to reduce its coal power plants by half and retire all of them by 2044.

In early June, ten West African countries wrote to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), urging that carbon offsets be included in corporate net zero standards, allowing companies to offset their emissions.

Despite clear policies, rising electricity demand and environmental disasters like droughts have pushed Vietnam to expand coal power. PwC suggests Vietnamese companies to create energy transition plans and strategies to tackle global climate change.

Leading telecom operator Chunghwa Telecom and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system provider Eaton shared their solutions to carbon reduction through energy management at a forum titled "Green miracle for data centers" on May 22.

Singapore has launched a $60 million lab to drive research and development in low-carbon technologies to help achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The European Commission has announced a $30 million call for proposals to provide funding support for carbon removal projects in the region.

Thailand is preparing to introduce the Climate Change Act. Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Rachata Phisitbanakorn, mentioned in a seminar this month that the law may come into effect this year.