Coal grows in prominence in Southeast Asia

As leaders gathered for Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), coal was at the forefront of discussions

With the city shrouded in smog there was a sense of foreboding as speakers talked about the seemingly relentless projections for coal’s ascent. Coal is the dirtiest of all fossil fuels - it creates more pollution than oil and natural gas when burned. The region, a key pillar of Asia’s growth, is the only part of the world where the share of fossil fuels in the energy mix is expected to rise, with coal destined to be the number one fuel in the ten countries making up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), overtaking oil within two decades. Southeast Asian energy demand is forecast to expand by 80% to just under 1,100m metric tons (mt) of oil equivalent in 2040 as the regional ec