The inaugural Bangkok Climate Action Week (BKKCAW) wrapped up last week, establishing itself as a new public platform for collective learning and action on climate change. Across the Bangkok metropolitan area, a diverse group of experts, artists, local groups, and international collaborators gathered to share insights, opinions, and concrete efforts aimed at shaping a livable and just climate future.
The inaugural Bangkok Climate Action Week (BKKCAW) wrapped up last week, establishing itself as a new public platform for collective learning and action on climate change. Across the Bangkok metropolitan area, a diverse group of experts, artists, local groups, and international collaborators gathered to share insights, opinions, and concrete efforts aimed at shaping a livable and just climate future.
ETP’s team was invited to join these pockets of communities and contribute to the critical conversations taking place.
Our first event was a panel, collectively organized by UNESCAP, ACE Partners and ETP, set on the topic of “Just Energy Transitions for Green and Low Carbon Development in Asia and the Pacific.” Speaking at the gathering were our Senior Programme Managers, John Cotton and Adritha Subbiah.
In his presentation, Mr. Cotton introduced the initial results of an ongoing research, examining the status of the energy transition in ETP’s focus countries: Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. John noted that rapid economic growth across ASEAN has driven up regional energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions, while progress on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects has lagged behind. However, with net-zero commitments, pledges to halt new coal development, and a comprehensive policy, legal, and institutional foundation now in place, the period from 2025 to 2030 is set to usher in a low-carbon energy boom across the region.
This research is linked with one of ETP’s ongoing projects and will culminate in a comprehensive regional stock take report. (Click here for more information about the project).
Following up, Ms. Subbiah, our Regional Programme Manager, provided an overview of Workforce Development and the Operationalization of Just Transition Frameworks, specifically within the context of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).
In her presentation, Adritha drew attention to how just transition must encompass certain essential elements in order to be successful: dialogue, economic diversification, reskilling and upskilling workforces, proactive planning for new sectors to reduce conflict and de-risk investment, and robust regional collaboration across the ASEAN region. She highlighted several ETP projects that directly incorporate these approaches into their delivery framework:
- Just Coal Transition Platform
- Marine Spatial Planning
- Specialised Workforce for Indonesia’s Future Transition in Energy (SWIFT)
- Just Energy Transition Partnership: Standard 9 on Economic Diversification
- Coal Mining Vulnerability Assessment
Adritha also contributed to a policy discussion focused on the coal-to-clean transition. During the event, which was coordinated by Agora Energiewende and held at Chulalongkorn University, she detailed how ETP combines government and philanthropic support to execute just energy transition projects. She referred to our Offshore Wind Marine (OSW) Spatial Planning Tool project in the Philippines as a key illustration of this approach.
Also taking place in the sidelines of BKK CAW, was the Southeast Asia Corporate Decarbonization Exchange Summit. ETP joined discussions here as well: Mr. Cotton and Senior Programme Officer Fritzie Vergel joined discussions on Southeast Asia’s just transition progress.
BKKCAW has significantly reinforced the shared commitment to translating climate discussions into tangible, collaborative action. ETP remains dedicated to active participation in such forums, ensuring that the knowledge and lessons-learned from the stakeholders we engage with are effectively shared with the broader ecosystem.
