Hydropower is one of Southeast Asia’s biggest renewable energy sources, however, many still remain oblivious to the damaging side-effects of hydropower projects. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), hydropower capacity in the region grew almost threefold from 16 GW to 44 GW between 2000 and 2016. Currently, the use of hydropower is most prevalent in Vietnam, Lao PDR and Thailand, which take advantage of the Mekong River flowing through their respective borders.

ASEAN’s positive economic growth has seen many changes in the way its citizens go about their daily lives. With an economy that is fast improving and the potential for progress still intact, the rise of the middle class is very much apparent within the region. An increase in disposable income has allowed some room for people to spend on items or products that might not be a necessity.

For many United States (US) allies, Secretary of Defense James Mattis is the last of the Trump administration’s so-called grownups in the room. At Asia’s main annual security forum he got a warm reception for his firm defense of the rules-based order the US helped to build after World War II.Increasingly, though, Mattis’s reassurance is not enough.

Blockchain came into the popular lexicon along with other terms such as cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence as part of the larger movement of new disruptive technologies that has swept the world. Initially seen as a disruptor to traditional banking, many are now starting to understand the appeal of blockchain and its potential to alter the landscape of the financial sector.

ASEAN’s exponential economic growth and social mobility is a double-edged sword. The region’s growing strategic relevance makes it a prime crosshair for cyberattacks, with the rise of intangible threats now becoming more prevalent within the region. Cybersecurity threats are pervasive and create problems in various sectors.

From the bizarre looking balut in the Philippines to the hearty bakso in Indonesia, Southeast Asia is a food haven, a gastronomical paradise unlike any other. A microcosm of Asia, cuisine in the region is very much influenced by recipes from China, India, and the Middle East, among others.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) inched closer to completion last March when the ministers of all 16 countries met in Singapore for their fourth intersessional meeting. Next up on the almanac for leaders is a ministerial meeting which will be held in Tokyo on 1 July. Participating economies in RCEP include all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Japan, South Korea, China, India, New Zealand and Australia.

The rapid growth of technology has brought about unprecedented disruption to multiple industries. Previously, technological advancements that would cause a shift across entire sectors would only come about once a decade. However, thanks to how quickly technology is evolving today, new disruptive technologies are coming to the fore every day.

Coal power is set to soar as the region’s energy demands are expected to multiply in the coming years. According to a report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in October last year, Southeast Asia’s energy demands are forecasted to grow as much as 60 percent by 2040.This increase in energy demand is led by a growing population. Higher incomes in the region also means consumers are buying more electric appliances and increasing their consumption of electricity.

Across the globe, the paths of economic growth and development are on an unsustainable trajectory, risking the natural assets and environmental services upon which long-term economic growth and human well-being are dependent on. Addressing natural capital depletion, pollution, the loss of biodiversity, and climate change is urgent in developing nations. These environmental trepidations threaten to undermine development efforts and reverse the gains made thus far.