As of 28 May 2021, ASEAN countries had authorised a total of US$ 730 billion, equivalent to 7.8% of ASEAN’s total GDP, in stimulus dollars. But few ASEAN countries have prioritised green components to their Covid-19 stimulus packages.
Author Archives: Lyd w
Trade and Environmental Disputes May Persist Despite Promising Leaders’ Summit on Climate
At the recent Leaders’ Summit on Climate Change convened by the Biden Administration, several ASEAN leaders emphasised the principle of differentiating levels of economic development between states in their response to climate change. Finding a balance between this principle and ambitious climate targets remains a challenge.
Southeast Asia Climate Outlook Survey 2021
Vietnam’s Tentative Approach to Regional Infrastructure Initiatives
It is estimated that Vietnam will need approximately US$480 billion in infrastructure investment from 2017 to 2030. But despite funding difficulties and the presence of several foreign-backed infrastructure initiatives in the region, Vietnam’s leadership has adopted a cautious stance.
New Call Among Thai Youth: Let’s Move Out
Recent developments on Thai social media underscore a growing shift in sentiments in segments of the Thai pro-democracy movement. Instead of pressing for political change, they have displayed a growing — and worrying — sense of hopelessness.
The Mekong River Ecosystem in Crisis: ASEAN Cannot be a Bystander
Despite being the premier regional organisation in Southeast Asia, ASEAN remains a bystander in the imminent collapse of the Mekong River ecosystem. The successful mainstreaming of transboundary haze pollution in ASEAN’s legal and institutional frameworks are instructive for invigorating ASEAN’s engagement in the Mekong issues.
Book Review: A Cheery Optimism About Asia’s Rise and Its Future
The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict and Culture in the 21st Century by Parag Khanna is about the rise of Asia, its future prospects and its complex relationship with the West. Notwithstanding occasional analytical lapses, it is an engaging read with many rich vignettes of information and interesting observations.
In Conversation with Parag Khanna
In this inaugural episode of Dialogues at Fulcrum, William Choong, Managing Editor of Fulcrum, sits down with Parag Khanna to discuss his book, “The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict and Culture in the 21st Century”.
Lost in the Shuffle: Research and Innovation in Indonesia
The Jokowi administration’s recent reshuffling of ministries complicates research and innovation policy.
Thailand’s Senate: Why 2021 Demonstrators Want it Reformed
The protest movement’s progressive political reform agenda requires an elected Senate, or no Senate.