Southeast Asia’s competing goals of economic growth and sustainability were the focus of a recent summit at Stanford University, where experts discussed collaborative solutions for the region’s development challenges.
Gita Wirjawan, visiting scholar at the Precourt Institute for Energy and former Minister of Trade for Indonesia, opened the Southeast Asia Summit on Prosperity and Sustainability by highlighting what he called a “paradox of sustainability.” He noted that while Southeast Asia is home to 700 million people in 12 countries with a collective GDP exceeding $4 trillion, its opportunities for economic expansion often conflict with efforts to achieve greater environmental sustainability.
The event, hosted by the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability along with the Precourt and Woods institutes, brought together over 400 attendees. Keynote speakers included Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former president of Indonesia; Condoleezza Rice, director of the Hoover Institution; and Nobel laureate Steven Chu, professor at Stanford.
“The world is facing a storm of crises. Climate disruption, energy shocks, and food shortages are affecting both developed and developing countries. Southeast Asia sits right in the middle,” said Yudhoyono. “This is the challenge of our time, and it is not theoretical. It affects how people live, work, and survive every day. I believe Southeast Asia is ready to step forward.”
Panel discussions addressed topics such as energy security. Lew Chuen Hong, chief executive of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority, pointed out that 60 million people will enter Southeast Asia’s job market over the next decade. He stated: “We cannot ignore the fact that economics drives everything.” While noting the region’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels today, Lew suggested that technologies like AI could help manage electric grids more efficiently and support shifts toward cleaner energy sources.
Chris Field, director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, underscored how closely linked issues such as energy security, food security, and economic stability are in Southeast Asia: “Progress across the world – but particularly in Southeast Asia – really depends on our integration of perspectives about energy and the environment. We can’t solve the energy problem without solving the environmental crisis,” Field said.
Food security emerged as another major challenge. Panelists described small farms operating under fragmented conditions with little political momentum for modernization or standardization. Private investors are cautious due to high risks and modest returns in agriculture.
“Food security needs to be thought of as one of the most pressing social problems, which then inevitably makes it a political problem as well. The only solutions are going to be holistic solutions,” said David Cohen from Stanford.
Tan Sri Nazir Razak from Ikhlas Capital added: “There needs to be structuring in how the government comes in, what kind of risk it can insure, what kind of capital it can put in, and what capital should the private sector put in… We can get more private sector capital, but the government must underwrite areas where the private sector cannot contend.”
Arun Majumdar, dean of Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, emphasized U.S.-Southeast Asian academic partnerships: “How can Stanford collaborate with the people and institutions in Southeast Asia to address key issues related to security, to prosperity, to sustainability and to address resilience to climate change?” Majumdar asked rhetorically. “Stanford is proud of our culture of open inquiry to pursue audacious ideas, to take risks,” he added. “Taking bold steps is in our DNA.”
Majumdar also mentioned plans for a new center focused on sustainability research specific to Southeast Asia.
In a dialogue session with Majumdar covering policy and research collaboration between U.S. universities and Southeast Asian partners, Rice highlighted academia’s role: “I hope that it is recognized how essential U.S. universities have been in the creation of knowledge… You can take almost any major breakthrough technologically and find that there was a university someplace at its inception in the fundamental research side.”
Rice further stated: “Then hopefully [academia] can take that knowledge to partners in the political system who can take advantage of our research to make policy better.”
“In Southeast Asia, the problem of sustainability is a real and urgent one,” Rice said. “I think this is a moment of opportunity… That’s why I think this is a region that deserves our attention and our partnership.”
Steven Chu spoke about climate change threats facing Southeast Asia: he called for comprehensive action on sustainable energy transitions as well as large-scale carbon capture initiatives.
Chu concluded his remarks by emphasizing opportunities available through renewables innovation as well as advances in agricultural technology.
