The Imperative of Cross-Sector Dialogue: ClientEarth & Energy Transition in the Philippines

On 25 March 2026, leading Philippine stakeholders, ranging from senior regulators and energy developers to civil society organisations and media personnel, gathered at ClientEarth’s landmark event, “The Role of the Law in Accelerating the Energy Transition in the Philippines.”

Why does such a broad and diverse mix of attendees matter?

The answer lies in the central message that emerged and echoed throughout keynote remarks and the two expert panels: no single organisation could drive a just energy transition alone. 

Panel 1: Laws and Regulations: Barriers or Entryways to Renewables and Grid Development

During the first panel discussion, ClientEarth CEO, Laura Clarke, joined leading policy and energy stakeholders from the Philippine Senate, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), ACEN and TransitionZero to discuss the Philippines’ energy pathways amid ongoing global energy supply chain disruption.

Panelists agreed that while the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy deployment and growing inflows of climate finance within Southeast Asia have exceeded expectations in recent years – latest geopolitical tensions have especially given rise to the need to prioritise energy security, system reliability and consumer protection against volatile energy prices.

Consequently, grid modernisation and home-grown renewable energy are more central to strengthening the Philippines’ energy sovereignty than ever.

A just transition requires confronting entrenched structural barriers. Chiefly, leveraging legal tools to redirect finance, designing policies that effectively manage risks, and fostering robust climate planning were highlighted as keys to long-term transitioning planning and future-proofing energy security.

Panel 2: Sustainability Disclosures and Investments in Today’s World: Need or Myth?

The second panel further emphasised the need for clear policy signals to help redirect capital toward sustainable energy solutions.

Joined by regulators from the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) – the discussion underscored the importance of fostering sustainable finance and scaling green investment, particularly by strengthening the feasibility and bankability of new energy projects.

For the Philippines, climate change is a lived reality. As transition to renewable energy is highlighted as the only viable path to long-term energy security and climate planning – panelists stressed the importance of building a strong regulatory foundation for sustainability reporting and disclosure to enhance accountability necessary for risk-informed and climate-aligned planning.

In this context, ClientEarth’s cross-sector legal collaboration and policy advisory play a critical role — supporting practical steps through legal analysis, policy input, and technical expertise to help unlock investment and advance the energy transition.

By convening this crucial dialogue, ClientEarth not only reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines’ climate action by mobilising legal expertise to advance practical and actionable policy pathways, but also demonstrated its core mission: facilitating strategic exchange and engagement between on-the-ground stakeholders to help build locally-tailored solutions and the robust policy architecture needed to accelerate a just energy transition within Southeast Asia.