ASEAN 2045

Eight years have passed since the world committed to keep the Earth’s temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius during the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in 2015. At the COP28 held in Dubai from 30 November to 13 December 2023, parties acknowledged that despite progress in mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation and support, the world is not collectively on track to achieving the Paris Agreement’s purpose and long-term goals.

Given the triple planetary crisis that we face—pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss—can we really envision living a life in harmony with nature by 2050?

The COVID-19 pandemic offered a bitter lesson, disrupting the social and economic order globally. Nature-based solutions offer an opportunity to bring transformational change to Southeast Asia.

With the clock ticking and the world at a critical juncture, governments, businesses, and the scientific community continue to explore effective climate solutions. Below is a range of innovative ideas that have been proposed, are in progress, or are currently undergoing testing.

ASEAN’s economy has grown tremendously and is on track for continuing progress. With the total population reaching about 792 million people in 2050, the economy is expected to grow by 4.6 per cent annually (CAGR) from 2020 to 2050. To ensure this growth trajectory, the region’s energy demand needs to be met.

Climate action is urgent since the ASEAN region is acutely vulnerable to the various impacts of climate change. Its long coastlines, heavily populated low-lying areas, and high dependence on agriculture expose it to the threat of rising sea levels, severe floods, and prolonged dry seasons. Germanwatch’s Global Climate Risk Index noted that five of the world’s 20 most at-risk countries are from ASEAN.

The ASEAN region is noted for its economic vitality, and in recent years, some of the world’s fastest-growing digital industries have emerged in the region. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend, with an increase of 60 million more digital customers since the pandemic began. The internet economy is on track to account for 360 billion US dollars by 2025. According to a Google and Temasek report, ASEAN is the region with the fastest-growing internet economy. By 2020, the user base is antici

The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for the ASEAN region, prompting a focus on accelerating its development agenda by incorporating the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) into its recovery strategy. In response to the crisis, ASEAN developed the Consolidated Strategy on the Fourth Industrial Revolution for ASEAN in 2021, providing policy guidance to build an ASEAN digital community and maximise the benefits of digital transformation. The ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) and th

In the face of unprecedented global health challenges, the ASEAN BioDiaspora Virtual Center (ABVC) has emerged as a pioneering force in the realm of infectious disease analytics within the region. ABVC has evolved into a crucial player in the battle against infectious diseases, leveraging big data analytics to monitor, analyse, and disseminate information. Over the past century, global disease outbreaks have increased, with a 17 per cent chance of another pandemic in an individual’s lifetime, po

Overview The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) aims to accelerate ASEAN’s transformation into a leading digital economy that fosters greater digital cooperation and paves the way for regional digital integration and inclusive growth and development.

Imagine this. You are a commuter in Bangkok, or a pedestrian in Indonesia. You are going about your daily life—shopping, working, or enjoying some leisure time. Suddenly, you discover that somebody has been tailing you and tracking your every move. The perpetrator has been finding out details about your life, and sharing it with parties you do not know.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is defined as the ability of smart computers and programs to perform tasks that would normally need human intellect. AI has enormous potential in various areas, including energy, agriculture, health, retail, and logistics. The advantages of using AI may include higher productivity, better decision-making, better client experiences through optimising energy use, assisting with precision information, and simplifying supply chains.

As ASEAN moves towards a digital economy, a digitally literate population becomes essential. Citizens equipped with digital skills can use technology to work more efficiently and productively, participate in e-commerce, and contribute to overall economic growth. A digitally literate workforce will also be resilient in the face of new and emerging technologies and shifts in work arrangements as industries and sectors undergo digital transformation.

Significant changes are underway in the world of work. AI, digital technologies, and the climate transition are reshaping the work landscape, transforming jobs, careers, and whole industries. In this article, we explore the latest trends from data on the LinkedIn platform and their impact on the region’s workforce.

ASEAN firmly believes that bridging the gender gap and ensuring that all women and girls realise their fullest potentials are sine qua non to the realisation of a fairer, inclusive, and resilient ASEAN Community. Through the years, ASEAN has mobilised political consensus and placed high-level political commitment on introducing and institutionalising these perspectives in multiple areas of cooperation across the three ASEAN Community pillars.