Southeast Asia Insights

Across Southeast Asia, climate change is leaving impacts that are not always visible in damaged homes, flooded streets, or failed harvests. Alongside the physical destruction caused by storms, floods, droughts, and extreme heat, a quieter crisis is emerging: the growing psychological burden of living in an increasingly unstable environment.   From typhoons in the Philippines to prolonged heatwaves across mainland Southeast Asia, climate ch...

For a brief moment, speculation swirled that fugitive financier Jho Low could receive a pardon in the United States. The rumors quickly proved unfounded. But almost as they faded, another development brought the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal back into the headlines.   This time, the focus is not on Jho Low himself. It is on a mansion in one of New Jersey's wealthiest neighborhoods that officially changed hands for just $10. ...

Editor's Note: This article is Part 2 of a three-part investigative series examining how climate change is reshaping health across Southeast Asia. Part 1 explores the spread of climate-sensitive diseases in the Philippines, Part 2 investigates the hidden health consequences of disasters in Vietnam, and Part 3 examines the growing mental health burden of environmental change.   When climate disasters strike, the damage is usually measured i...

The Philippines is experiencing a record surge in spending on solar energy as the global energy crisis pushes households and businesses away from fossil fuels. Rising electricity costs have accelerated demand for rooftop solar panels, making the country the world's biggest spender on solar panels since the Strait of Hormuz crisis began.   That surge is about more than renewable energy. It highlights how exposed the Philippines remains to e...

On June 5, EIB Global, the development arm of the European Investment Bank (EIB), announced a $25 million financing package for Papua New Guinea (PNG) to expand drinking water infrastructure in towns across the country.   The investment comes as PNG faces one of the world's most severe water access challenges. Despite abundant freshwater resources, only 37-45% of the population has access to basic drinking water services, with coverage in ...