S2E19: Can transition credits help SE Asia kick the coal habit?

From black to green: A new type of carbon credit could speed up
the region’s shift to renewable energy and cut air pollution


Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits
Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from
biodiversity conservation to climate change.


Carbon credits are increasingly regarded as a key way to
accelerate investment in renewable energy in Asia while also
shutting down polluting coal plants early. Burning coal is a top
source of planet-warming CO2 and air pollution. 


Asia faces a major challenge of meeting its growing appetite for
electricity while also curbing emissions growth. A further
challenge: The average age of coal power plants in the region is
about 15 years – when the plants have a life of up to 50
years. 


To compensate plant owners, a coalition of power companies,
banks, governments and philanthropy have come together to embrace
transition credits, which monetise each tonne of CO2 saved from
shutting down a coal plant early. The money from credit sales
helps pay for the renewable energy power generation that replaces
the coal power plant. 


But how far are we from viable transition credit projects and the
sale of these credits? And who will buy them? 


Join Green Pulse hosts Audrey Tan and David Fogarty as they
discuss these questions in this episode. 


Have a listen and let us know your thoughts!


Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):


1:42 What are transition credits?


3:53 Are there any projects in the pipeline that could yield
transition credits?


5:53 Any idea how much transition credits might be?


9:08 Who will be the main buyers?


11:46 What are the criticisms of transition credits?


16:19 The chicken-and-egg problem. Build the green power project
first, credit money comes later. 


Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/848W


Read her articles: https://str.sg/JLM2


Follow David Fogarty on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jcvy


Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu


Hosts: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg) & David Fogarty
(dfogarty@sph.com.sg)


Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim


Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong


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drops:


Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf


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Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg


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