: Southeast Asian countries are planning to invest as much as $220 billion on a rapid natural gas expansion programme that could slow the region's clean energy transition, research by Global Energy Monitor showed on Thursday.
“Energy demand is increasing across Southeast Asia as economies grow, but ramping up gas production is not a long-term solution,“ said Warda Ajaz, who runs GEM’s Asia Gas Tracker project, adding much of the increased demand could be met by renewables. Proponents of natural gas describe it as a transition fuel that allows developing countries to generate economic growth without having to rely on dirtier and more carbon-intensive coal.