Kuala Lumpur, 17 October 2025: ERIA participated in the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Business Forum, held on the sidelines of the 3rd AZEC Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Organised by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), the Forum provided a platform for sharing the latest initiatives from private companies and international organisations aligned with AZEC’s key themes: Zero Emission Power, Sustainable Fuel Market, and Transition Finance.

The event gathered a wide range of stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), and leading companies from the region.

The Forum featured three focused sessions:

• Session 1: ASEAN Power Grid
• Session 2: Sustainable Biofuels for Vehicles
• Session 3: Transition Finance

Representing ERIA, Dr Yanfei Li, Dr Weerawat Chantanakome, and Dr Han Phoumin served as moderators for the respective sessions, facilitating discussions and sharing ERIA’s insights on advancing regional decarbonisation and energy transition efforts.

In addition, ERIA, in collaboration with METI and the ADB, presented a jointly developed report titled ’Decarbonising Southeast Asia’s Hard-to-Abate and High-Emitting Sectors.’ The report examines the imperatives and challenges of transition finance in the ASEAN context, addressing not only financial mechanisms but also technological and policy-related barriers. By showcasing ongoing projects as case studies, the report provides practical insights and realistic solutions to mobilise finance for the region’s low-carbon transition.