Recommendations for Accelerating ASEAN’s Inclusive Green Transition

The accelerating green transition, growing climate impacts, and an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape are becoming ever more interconnected – and are increasingly relevant considerations for economic competitiveness and resilience in the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Business leaders in the region have already recognized this shift: nine in ten (92%) expect sustainability to become a source of competitive advantage in the next decade.¹

On 1 September 2026, the ESG Symposium in Bangkok convened leaders from business, government, academia, and civil society to identify priority actions to accelerate an inclusive green transition in ASEAN. Co-hosted by the Siam Cement Group (SCG) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the ESG Symposium addressed three areas: enhancing renewable energy integration and energy security, enabling a just transition, and scaling climate adaptation and resilience in the region.

This white paper summarizes recommendations from the ESG Symposium and further consultations with businesses in the region to inform high-level discussions on the inclusive green transition in the coming months – including the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in October 2026, and the ASEAN Summit and COP31 in November 2026.

WBCSD, SCG and businesses across the region welcome engagement with ASEAN Member States on these recommendations in the coming months and extend an invitation to work with policymakers and multilateral development banks to discuss these recommendations in greater detail, and work together to implement them to accelerate an inclusive green transition in the region this decade.

^{1. WBCSD. (2026, June). Business Breakthrough Barometer 2026.↩}