03 December 2025
Steadying the Ship: ASEAN’s Role in Global Climate Action in the Trump 2.0 Era
Executive Summary
The second Trump administration has reversed US climate policy, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and defunding key international climate initiatives. This move creates a leadership and resource vacuum that weakens global climate action and leaves vulnerable regions like Southeast Asia facing direct financial and technical setbacks. Furthermore, the administration’s policies accelerate climate-health damages by prioritising economic and military goals. The disruption arising from these changes, however, creates an opportunity for ASEAN to assert regional leadership. This report recommends a three-pronged strategy involving (1) establishing leadership in global carbon markets by harmonising a regional framework, (2) championing multilateral climate diplomacy with key partners, and (3) pioneering a regional data and resilience hub to counter the loss of US scientific support.
Executive Summary
The second Trump administration has reversed US climate policy, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and defunding key international climate initiatives. This move creates a leadership and resource vacuum that weakens global climate action and leaves vulnerable regions like Southeast Asia facing direct financial and technical setbacks. Furthermore, the administration’s policies accelerate climate-health damages by prioritising economic and military goals. The disruption arising from these changes, however, creates an opportunity for ASEAN to assert regional leadership. This report recommends a three-pronged strategy involving (1) establishing leadership in global carbon markets by harmonising a regional framework, (2) championing multilateral climate diplomacy with key partners, and (3) pioneering a regional data and resilience hub to counter the loss of US scientific support.
