Polluter accountability crucial for Asia’s energy transition

Reducing fossil fuel subsidies and enforcing accountability are keys to clean energy

As Asia pursues a cleaner energy future, enforcing accountability for polluters remains a significant challenge, according to Assaad Razzouk, CEO of Gurin Energy. “We need to hold polluters accountable. We need to make polluters pay,” Razzouk emphasised, suggesting that these measures are essential to ensure cleaner, more abundant energy options are accessible across Asia.

The region's reliance on fossil fuels is intensified by subsidies for oil, gas, and coal, which Razzouk believes hinder the transition to renewables. “We need less subsidies to go to oil, gas, and coal,” he said, pointing to the need for financial reforms to level the playing field for solar, wind, and battery technologies, which are increasingly competitive.

Gurin Energy is actively involved in deploying renewable projects across Asia, with operations in Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and beyond.

“If you did these two simple conceptual things…you will ensure that everybody in Asia benefits from abundant energy which is going to be clean,” Razzouk noted. He projects that, with accountability and reduced subsidies, renewable energy deployment could exceed current forecasts, powering millions of households across Asia by 2030.