Background

Energy efficiency is at the core of our sustainable future, and yet the rate of improvement in energy intensity has declined for three years in a row, leaving it off the pace needed to achieve SDG7. Demand side efficiency improvements represent 40% of the total emissions abatement opportunity to deliver the Paris goals beyond existing policy plans, while offering economic and social benefits.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, disruptions impact global energy use and incomes (GDP), which are the basis for tracking energy efficiency progress using a metric of energy intensity (units of energy per unit of GDP). Worldwide, there has been reported declines in energy demand, and many countries have suffered negative growth in GDP. To respond to this unique situation governments around the world are set to spend trillions of dollars on recovery packages, investing in jobs, the economy and recovering better. This provides opportunities to support energy efficiency, which could create, according to the IEA’s Sustainable Recovery Plan, as much as 35% of new jobs.

Increases in energy efficiency would help Asia and the Pacific drive economic growth and meet energy access goals while decreasing emissions. Energy efficiency enhancements would:

  • Keep countries on a low carbon track as they develop and as they recover after the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Reduce demand for fossil fuel and related greenhouse gas emissions
  • Reduce the energy access gap

Many countries in Asia and Pacific have set national energy efficiency targets. For example ASEAN has established collective targets of a 20% decrease in energy intensity by 2020 and a 30% decrease in energy intensity by 2025, relative to the base year of 2005. Better policy and financial tools are needed to properly enhance the market supporting energy-efficient technologies and services in order to achieve national goals. Scaling up collaboration, strengthening institutions’ capacity and aligning grants, loans and incentives from climate funds and financial institutions can unlock private investment to enable market transformation with energy efficiency.

  • Elevate Energy Efficiency: Advocate for energy efficiency in global agendas, creating a clear narrative to advocate for energy efficiency, convening partners and matching solution offers.
  • Support Energy Efficiency: Deliver strategic support and technical assistance in countries on key issues for high impact sectors.
  • Invest in Energy Efficiency: Deliver project implementation through loans, grants and incentives for infrastructure and projects.

Three Percent Club partners include the Energy Efficiency Accelerators and Hub, which represent the largest network of energy efficiency organizations currently serving more than 70 countries around the world. The Accelerators are public-private partnerships led by core partners including UN Environment, World Resources Institute, UNIDO and the FIA Foundation, along with industry co-conveners the International Copper Association, Signify, Johnson Controls, Danfoss and the Carbon Trust. The Accelerator partnerships currently include private-sector organizations representing more than 100 international and regional energy efficiency businesses.

These strategic public-private partnerships are set to leverage synergies between sectors and foster collaboration across multiple levels of government (national/local), organizations, financial institutions and the private sector. The Accelerators have learned that in order to achieve effective and lasting market transformation, strategic approaches maintained over many years are required. The Three Percent Club is set to expand the delivery of this market transformation through an increased closely coordinated diffusion (deployment and contracting) of energy efficiency solutions with partners globally.

Objectives

  • To highlight the importance of energy efficiency for the development of the Asia and Pacific region
  • Showcase energy efficiency initiatives and experience from Three Percent Club countries and partners.
  • To determine viable solutions and identify measures that countries can implement to increase the uptake of energy efficiency in Asia and Pacific region.

Agenda

Time (Manila) Activities
10:30-10:45 a.m. Welcome address from the ADB: Kee-Yung Nam, Principal Energy Economist, Asian Development Bank
Opening remarks:
Speaker Tetsushi Sonobe, Dean & CEO, Asian Development Bank Institute
10:45-11:20 a.m. Session 1: Understanding the relevance and financing of energy efficiency in buildings and industry

The session will discuss the status and trends as well as opportunities to increasing energy efficient utilization of resources in the Asia-Pacific region,
in particular energy efficiency initiatives in Buildings and Industry. For example, green building standards play important role for attracting green finance,
such as green bond: nearly half of green bonds in ASEAN were used for financing Green Buildings.

  • Green Bonds for Financing Green Buildings in ASEAN, Dina Azhgaliyeva, Research fellow, ADBI
  • Presentation

  • ASEAN Energy Efficiency Low Carbon Energy Programme (LCEP), William Hudson, Carbon Trust- Head of South East Asia
  • Presentation

  • Meaningful Youth Engagement (MYE) for Energy Efficiency, Swithun Rumble, Youth Project Designer/Consultant, ADB
  • Presentation

Moderator: Clotilde Rossi di Schio, SEforALL

11:20-11:55 a.m. Session 2: Three Percent club, international partnerships and governments to set ambitious goals in Energy Efficiency to achieve SDG7 (30 min)

The session will be a panel discussion showcasing experience from Three Percent Club partners and countries in promoting and implementing effective
energy efficiency initiatives in order to increase private investments in energy efficiency improvements and achieve national energy efficiency targets.

  • Mr. Sardar Mohazzam (Managing DirectorNational Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (NEECA), Ministry of Energy, Pakistan)
  • Green building rating program in Singapore, Ms. Yvonne Soh, Executive Director, Singapore Green Building Council
  • Presentation

  • Viet Nam’s overview of energy efficiency, current energy consumption, and energy saving potential for industry, Mr. Hoang Van Tam, Deputy Head,
    Climate Change and Green Growth Office, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam
  • Presentation

Moderator: Linda Arthur, ADBI

11:55 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks, SEforALL

About Organizers

Asian Development Bank

Since its founding in 1966, ADB has been driven by an inspiration and dedication to improving people's lives in Asia and the Pacific. By targeting our investments wisely, in partnership with our developing member countries and other stakeholders, we can alleviate poverty and help create a world in which everyone can share in the benefits of sustained and inclusive growth.

Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI)

ADB Institute, located in Tokyo, is the think tank of the Asian Development Bank, an international financial institution. ADBI aims to be an innovative center of excellence for the creation of rigorous, evidence-based knowledge that can be implemented as new actionable policies by developing and emerging economies, so as to contribute to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific. It also contributes to ADB’s overall mission and operational priorities in line with ADB’s Strategy 2030. This vision will lead ADBI to continue to be a globally recognized think tank.

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)

SEforALL is an international organization working with leaders in government, the private sector and civil society to drive further, faster action toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which calls for universal access to sustainable energy by 2030, and the Paris Agreement, which calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit climate warming to below 2° Celsius.

Point of Contact

Clotilde Rossi di Schio, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)
Email: [email protected]