Strategies to balance output growth and global warming are an important matter of discussion in the current environmental management literature. A decrease in energy prices encourages energy consumption. As energy subsidies and oil prices are a major influence on the overall energy price, they also influence the level of CO2 emissions associated with output growth. In this article, we investigate the asymmetric impact of energy subsidies, oil prices, and economic output on CO2 emissions. We used a panel dataset of 20 selected oil producing countries in Asia from 2010 to 2018. We employed threshold analysis to acquire further knowledge concerning the asymmetric impact of energy subsidies, oil prices, and output on CO2 emissions. Our findings suggest that while an energy subsidy was significant in terms of resultant CO2 emissions, energy subsidies had a greater impact on CO2 emissions when the oil price is low. However, energy subsidies are not expected to cause significantly higher CO2 emissions when the value of the subsidy is at a low level. Third, these relationships follow the pattern consistent with the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis only when the energy subsidy is relatively high. We consider an energy subsidy rationalisation program could serve to meet environmental management goals in energy use.

This article analyses climate mitigation impact once the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) introduce their respective Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) using dynamic non-linear computable general equilibrium modelling and 2010 input-output tables. The results indicate that atmospheric concentration of carbon and temperatures under the business as usual (BAU) scenario will fall from 390 PPM and 0.80°C respectively in 2010 to 351PPM and 0.79°C respectively, whereas under the optimal scenario it will fall to 329PPM and 0.71°C respectively in 2060. Cumulative climate damage under BAU and optimal scenarios will remain the same at MYR8.0 Billion, MYR14.3 Billion and MYR 24.8 Billion respectively in 2010, 2015 and 2020 but it will rise after that to MYR579 Billion under the former compared to MYR513 Billion under the latter in 2060. The reduction in carbon emissions shall also be achieved without a tangible fall in GDP per capita.

This paper aims to evaluate the policies targeted at regulating automobile emissions among ASEAN countries but with specific attention to the Philippines. Technology-based regulations on motor vehicles play an important role in reducing green-house gas emissions. However, regulations differ based on the level of economic development, policies and technological base of each country. This paper uses an example of the Euro 4 automobile emission regulations to examine its implementation process and strategies of each ASEAN countries. It subsequently focuses on the Philippines to analyse the role of government, multinational automobile manufacturers and local suppliers. The findings show that the strategies of automobile manufacturers have positively affected local suppliers’ technological capabilities.

The Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recognizes the role of nonmotorized transport for sustainable urban development in its policy framework. National and local policymakers in Thailand and The Philippines, two tropical countries without a tradition of urban cycling, are increasingly paying attention to cycling as well. This article aims to assess the current situation and progress in cycling, using Bangkok and Metropolitan Manila as case study cities, and to describe the necessary conditions for advancing the significance of cycling in tropical megacities. This is done by operationalizing the so-called Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework, which has been used in transition studies since 2008, however, never for cycling. As such this article also “tests” this framework for its application in sustainable transportation. The two case studies are characterized with regards to the current role of cycling in the mobility system, its infrastructure, governance system, and existing research on the potential and barriers. We find that TIS can readily be applied to our cases, with the analysis showing that elements such as knowledge development, actor networks, e-bike adoption, infrastructure, resource mobilization and legitimation are not well developed; on the other hand, flat terrain, attention for cycling for health and environment, heavy congestion, expansion of public transport, growing bike industry, active university communities, and the emergence of advocacy coalitions, could open up opportunities for increasing its modal share.