SINGAPORE: The world’s energy transition is “a race against time” rather than a competition between countries, Temasek Holdings chairman Teo Chee Hean said on Tuesday (May 19) as he urged Asia to chart its own path towards resilience and sustainable growth.
Speaking at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Mr Teo, who is also senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, said in his opening remarks to global policymakers and business leaders at Ecosperity Week 2026 that the current operating environment was one of “profound global uncertainty”.
Amid growing concerns over supply chain disruptions of fossil fuels, the Temasek chairman said that renewables are important for energy security, and called on regional countries to work together to advance their sustainability measures.
In order to achieve such progress at the speed and scale required, there needs to be mutual trust, since countries are grappling with concerns over national security, supply chain vulnerabilities and strategic dependence, Mr Teo said.
Addressing these issues openly and constructively will be key to deeper regional cooperation. “After all, the defining challenge of our time is not competition between countries,” he said.
“The real race is against time, and not against each other … Nature sets the timetable, but we can shape the trajectory of our response.”
