Asia’s total income will more than quadruple from 2010 to 2035 as the region’s share in the world’s energy use jumps to 56 percent from 34 percent in 2010, according to ADB’s Asian Development Outlook 2013.
How will booming Asia meet its energy needs sustainably while keeping its healthy economic growth afloat? What role will development partners play in greening Asia’s energy future?
These and other issues will be discussed by over 800 energy, development and government practitioners attending the 8th Asia Clean Energy Forum from June 25-28 in Manila. Under the theme “Unlocking Asia’s Clean Energy Future,” the event jointly launched by the Asian Development Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Development seeks to foster debate on best practices in finance, policy and technology to promote sustainable energy and energy security in the region.
At the center of talks will be financing for energy efficiency and climate change.
“We certainly desire that more funds be allocated for clean energy development [through the event],” Aiming Zhou, senior energy specialist at ADB’s sustainable infrastructure division, told Devex on the eve of the forum.
The bank’s clean energy financing has been on the rise since 2009. ADB approved in 2012 a record $2.3 billion in clean energy investments, exceeding its previous target of $2 billion by 2013.
“We need to do more with less. ADB is helping developing Asia take advantage of already available, evidence-based sustainable solutions in technology, finance and policy. We would like to share knowledge on how countries can develop and implement clean energy initiatives,” said Zhou.
The coming years will see further investments and knowledge-sharing from the bank in energy efficiency and renewable energy, energy access and sector reforms, capacity building and governance.
As for ADB’s collaboration with USAID, Zhou noted that USAID has been “a long-standing development partner” of the bank in boosting Asia’s clean energy sector since 2007, when the U.S. agency first joined the Asia Clean Energy Forum, which USAID now co-sponsors.
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