Asia stands at the heart of a historic transformation. As the region races toward renewable energy at unprecedented speed, it holds the power to reshape economies, empower communities, and safeguard the environment. By 2030, an estimated 5,500 gigawatts of new renewable capacity will be operational globally. This growth promises cleaner skies and greener economies but it also raises pressing questions. Will this transition truly serve both people and the planet?
Beyond Numbers: The Human Side of Renewable Energy
The rise of renewable energy is not just a story of technology, finance, or policy. It is about people their rights, their livelihoods, and the ecosystems they depend on. Across Asia, communities have begun to voice concerns about land rights violations, exploitative labour practices, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation linked to large-scale projects. Without addressing these challenges, the energy transition risks losing both public trust and long-term viability.
It is here that the Responsible Energy Initiative (REI) steps in. Launched in India in 2021 and expanded to the Philippines in 2024, REI is a groundbreaking coalition of industry leaders, civil society groups, and research organisations working together to ensure that the renewable energy boom is responsible, inclusive, and regenerative.
A Collective Approach to Change
REI’s vision is simple yet ambitious: renewable energy should not only reduce carbon emissions but also strengthen local economies, uphold human rights, and restore ecosystems. In India, REI works with organisations such as TERI, WRI India, CEEW, and the Climate Group, while in the Philippines, the coalition includes Oxfam Pilipinas, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, and CentRE. Together, these groups are shaping norms, policies, and business models that embed responsibility into every layer of the energy sector.
The initiative focuses on three pillars of change shifting mindsets, enabling organisational action, and influencing systemic change. Reports like Renewable Energy to Responsible Energy: A Call to Action have reframed conversations in India and the Philippines, moving the dialogue beyond capacity targets to accountability, transparency, and justice.
From Awareness to Action
The impact is already visible. In India, more than 35 organisations across the renewable energy value chain from manufacturers and developers to investors and procurers have engaged with REI to adopt more responsible practices. Playbooks and practical guides are being developed to help investors align their portfolios with ethical and ecological principles, and developers are being equipped with frameworks to ensure transparency and accountability.
In the Philippines, REI has engaged with 46 organisations, creating shared visions for energy justice and sustainability. These dialogues are shaping interventions that consider everything from ecological impacts and labour rights to circularity and governance.
One industry leader reflected on REI’s influence: “The discussions helped us frame our ESG vision. Today, our sustainability strategy is deeply rooted in the insights gained through REI.”
Building Momentum for Systemic Change
The annual Responsible Renewable Energy Summit in India has become a hub for cross-sector collaboration, drawing over 500 participants across its last two editions. Policymakers, financiers, developers, and community representatives come together not just to talk but to co-create solutions that make renewable energy both scalable and sustainable.
Governments, too, are beginning to embrace this shift. Policies are being reviewed through social and ecological lenses, with initiatives like integrating circularity into energy storage systems and supporting microgrid development for farmers and women. The private sector, once hesitant, is now adopting REI principles in procurement and project design, signalling a broader cultural shift.
A Roadmap for the Future
Looking ahead, REI aims to deepen its impact by scaling Agri-PV models that combine solar generation with food production, promoting equitable benefit-sharing between developers and communities, and creating finance mechanisms in the Philippines to empower small and medium renewable energy enterprises. Most importantly, lessons from India and the Philippines will be shared across Asia, amplifying the call for a just and regenerative energy transition.
Conclusion: A Future Worth Fighting For
The renewable energy revolution is inevitable but whether it will be exploitative or empowering, extractive or regenerative depends on the choices we make today. REI is proving that a different path is possible: one where clean energy doesn’t come at the expense of people and nature, but instead uplifts both.
As Asia powers ahead, the region has a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the world that renewable energy can be more than just a technological fix it can be the foundation of a fairer, greener, and more resilient future for all.