This KAPSARC Discussion Paper examines six major Southeast Asian economies’ progress and potential on the road to net-zero emissions, or carbon circularity. It does so by using the technology-neutral approach of the circular carbon economy (CCE) and the CCE Index, developed at KAPSARC to operationalize this concept for use in country comparisons. Analyzing the 2023 CCE Index, the paper shows how, overall, the region scores slightly higher than the global average and much higher than the middle-income average on combined CCE Performance and Enablers scores. The region’s countries rank in the middle third of countries. Singapore, the only high-income country in the group, consistently scores well across dimensions. The region generally scores low on the more costly or less accessible CCE technologies, namely carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), clean hydrogen and nuclear energy, and there is a need for increased access to sustainable finance, technology, and knowledge to supplement the lack of domestic creation through universities, the private sector, and R&D activities.
