ABSTRACT
The rapid and sustained economic growth in developing Asia over the past two decades will continue to drive energy demand growth. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asian economies mainly rely on fossil fuels for power generation, and fossil fuels receive the bulk of energy subsidies in these regions. Such subsidies contribute to climate change by reducing the price of fossil fuels, which in turn encourages greater production and consumption, leading to higher carbon and other types of emissions. In ASEAN economies, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and the second leading cause in women. The dominance of fossil fuels in the ASEAN and East Asian energy basket not only is harmful to health, the environment, and energy security; but also increases the vulnerability of the economy and other commodities markets in the event of fossil fuel price shocks. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.
