By Office of Communications and Public Affairs
29 January 2026 – The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the MIT Management ASEAN Office jointly organized a high-level workshop on Evidence-Based Policymaking, Strategic Foresight, and Energy–Climate Modeling on 28 January 2026 in Bangkok.
The workshop brought together policymakers, corporate representatives, and international scholars to explore how data-driven policymaking, foresight tools, and energy–climate models can support Asia’s transition toward a resilient, low-carbon future. Discussions emphasized generating practical research and policy insights to support national transformation across the Global South, with a strong focus on energy transition and climate action in Asia.
Welcoming participants, Prof. Pai-Chi Li, President of AIT, highlighted the urgency of energy transition and climate action in Asia, noting that the workshop marked the beginning of deeper collaboration between AIT and MIT in evidence-based policy, strategic foresight, and energy–climate modeling. He emphasized that combining AIT’s regional convening role with MIT’s global research network could help deliver tangible impact for Thailand and the wider region, and thanked Dr. Sorapop Kiatpongsan, Director, MIT Management ASEAN Office, and the sponsors for supporting the initiative.
Echoing these remarks, Prof. Christopher Knittel, Associate Dean for Climate and Sustainability at MIT and Director of the MIT Climate Policy Center, expressed appreciation to the organizers and sponsors and underscored the strong potential for long-term AIT–MIT collaboration. Visiting Thailand for the first time, he shared that the experience reinforced opportunities for sustained partnership and expressed hope that the workshop would identify clear joint research areas to pursue in the years ahead.
The session “Accelerating Energy Transition and Climate Action in Asia” featured two keynote lectures. Prof. Yeh Shin-cheng, Professor at National Taiwan Normal University and former Minister of Taiwan, delivered a lecture titled “Resilience by Design: Strategic Foresight and Simulation for Asia’s Urban-Energy Future.” Drawing on Taiwan’s experience with extreme weather, disasters, and high industrial energy demand, he highlighted the importance of proactive urban-energy redesign, stakeholder engagement, and science-based policymaking. He emphasized that climate adaptation must progress alongside energy transition, supported by long-term planning, data-driven models, and close collaboration among government, academia, industry, and communities.
Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal, Professor and former Vice President for Academic Affairs at AIT and an IPCC Coordinating Lead Author, presented “Energy Transition for a 1.5°C-Compatible World: Opportunities and Bottlenecks for the Global South.” He noted that global emissions continue to rise despite the growth of clean technologies, pointing to persistent gaps in reliable electricity access, clean cooking, renewable energy deployment, and energy efficiency, particularly in the Global South. He identified climate finance as a major bottleneck and called for stronger national planning, improved access to funding, greater private-sector investment, and enhanced international and South–South cooperation to support a fair and inclusive energy transition.
The session concluded with a panel discussion on accelerating energy transition and climate action in Asia through evidence-based policymaking and strategic foresight. Moderated by Prof. Pai-Chi Li, the panel brought together experts from government, industry, and academia, including Dr. Siri Jirapongphan (SCD ’80), former Minister of Energy of Thailand; Mr. Chaiwat Kovavisarach, Group CEO & President of Bangchak Corporation Plc. and Chairman of OKEA ASA (Norway); Prof. Yeh Shin-cheng; Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal; and Dr. Naveed Anwar, CEO of CSI Bangkok and former Vice President for Knowledge Transfer at AIT. Discussions focused on balancing energy security, affordability, and climate goals; strengthening links between research and policy; and using models and scenarios responsibly through clear communication and close engagement with policymakers. Panelists also highlighted the importance of policy signals and market mechanisms, such as incentives and carbon pricing, alongside stronger attention to finance, adaptation, and a just transition. The discussion concluded with a call for collective action to build a more resilient Asia.
Another session, “Energy and Climate Scenario Planning, Foresight, and Models,” featured a hands-on En-ROADS simulator demonstration led by Bethany Patten, Executive Director of the MIT Climate Policy Center. The session demonstrated how leaders can test different climate and energy policy options and observe their impacts in real time. Participants explored scenarios including reducing coal use, scaling renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, cutting methane emissions, and applying carbon pricing, illustrating how combined actions can help move closer to the 1.5–2°C pathway.
Supported by Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited, CSI Bangkok, and Zhen Ding Tech Group, the event reflected the shared commitment of AIT and MIT to learning from each other’s expertise and exploring future collaboration to support evidence-based climate and energy action in the region.
