Kavita Gandhi, Executive Director of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore, says ASEAN should form a sovereign energy bloc to respond to global uncertainties. (Photo: SEAS)
Geopolitics and global economic shifts, ranging from the U.S.–China tensions and the return of a Trump administration, to the Iran–Israel conflict, are casting uncertainty over ASEAN’s energy transition and dampening investor confidence.
Kavita Gandhi, Executive Director of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS), has put forward the idea of a “sovereign energy bloc”. She argues ASEAN nations should first build a strong internal market before expanding exports, shielding the region from external volatility. In this interview with RECCESSARY, Kavita explains the challenges of realizing such a bloc and shares her views on the region’s renewable energy development.
Four steps toward an ASEAN “Sovereign Energy Bloc”
In a recent op-ed, Kavita highlighted the fragmented nature of ASEAN’s energy market. Infrastructure and planning have developed in a piecemeal way, limiting resource efficiency across the region. This fragmentation weakens ASEAN’s bargaining power in global markets, undermines investor confidence, and even constrains economic growth.