The 10th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development opened today with delegates underscoring the need for greater collaboration between government and the private sector, and for inter-regional dialogue if the global energy transition is to be realised.
While global energy targets for universal energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency under Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) and the Paris Agreement provide a blueprint for the global energy transition, navigating the future path can be complex. It requires vast amounts of capital as well as long-term planning and coordination at multiple levels of government.
“We know that this will require a radical transition in many areas. How we source and consume energy must change,” United Nations under-secretary-general and executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Alisjahbana. “Transformation across sectors is needed and we need decisions on fuels and technologies to account for the full costs of air pollution and leverage clean energy to bring back blue skies, clean water and healthy cities,” she said, adding that we need deeper regional cooperation and integration to extend renewable energy-based grids.
“We must move from ideas to implementation with clear government policies on sustainable energy,” minister of Energy of the Royal Government of Thailand Sontirat Sontijirawong.
The two-day Forum aims to explore pathways to close the gap between targets and actions in areas such as access to electricity, renewable energy, clean cooking and energy efficiency. Organised by ESCAP, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) and the Ministry of Energy of Royal Thai Government, this is the only platform that allows for inter-regional exchanges on SDG7 implementation.
Ministers and energy sector experts participated in a high-level panel this morning sharing insights on how to address the interlinkages of energy with climate change, poverty, inequality, health and gender concerns. Through a series of roundtables over the next two days, delegates will also investigate the weaknesses, threats and barriers to achieving the energy transition in the coming years.
On the sidelines of the Forum today, ESCAP inaugurated the Asia-Pacific Network of Energy Think Tanks (APNETT). The Network will convene diverse multidisciplinary energy expertise from academic institutions, think tanks, universities and not-for-profit organisations across the region to exchange knowledge and collaborative research that could address knowledge gaps and build expertise, particularly in the field of sustainable energy development.
ESCAP and Energy Foundation China also held the inception meeting of a joint project to promote low carbon and green development across Asia-Pacific region. The project includes development of the National Expert SDG Tool for Energy Planning (NEXSTEP) to assist developing countries of the region plan for the implementation of the SDG7, as well as enhancing cooling energy efficiency in ASEAN countries and evidence-based guidance on achieving universal access to clean cooking.
The Forum is held as part of the Asia-Pacific Energy Week, which features a series of high-level events organized by ESCAP on sustainable energy. The Asia-Pacific Energy Week will continue with the Second Session of the ESCAP Committee on Energy from Octiber 9 to 11, and a Government Business Dialogue on Energy Transition on October 11.
While global energy targets for universal energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency under Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) and the Paris Agreement provide a blueprint for the global energy transition, navigating the future path can be complex. It requires vast amounts of capital as well as long-term planning and coordination at multiple levels of government.
“We know that this will require a radical transition in many areas. How we source and consume energy must change,” United Nations under-secretary-general and executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Alisjahbana. “Transformation across sectors is needed and we need decisions on fuels and technologies to account for the full costs of air pollution and leverage clean energy to bring back blue skies, clean water and healthy cities,” she said, adding that we need deeper regional cooperation and integration to extend renewable energy-based grids.
“We must move from ideas to implementation with clear government policies on sustainable energy,” minister of Energy of the Royal Government of Thailand Sontirat Sontijirawong.
The two-day Forum aims to explore pathways to close the gap between targets and actions in areas such as access to electricity, renewable energy, clean cooking and energy efficiency. Organised by ESCAP, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) and the Ministry of Energy of Royal Thai Government, this is the only platform that allows for inter-regional exchanges on SDG7 implementation.
Ministers and energy sector experts participated in a high-level panel this morning sharing insights on how to address the interlinkages of energy with climate change, poverty, inequality, health and gender concerns. Through a series of roundtables over the next two days, delegates will also investigate the weaknesses, threats and barriers to achieving the energy transition in the coming years.
On the sidelines of the Forum today, ESCAP inaugurated the Asia-Pacific Network of Energy Think Tanks (APNETT). The Network will convene diverse multidisciplinary energy expertise from academic institutions, think tanks, universities and not-for-profit organisations across the region to exchange knowledge and collaborative research that could address knowledge gaps and build expertise, particularly in the field of sustainable energy development.
ESCAP and Energy Foundation China also held the inception meeting of a joint project to promote low carbon and green development across Asia-Pacific region. The project includes development of the National Expert SDG Tool for Energy Planning (NEXSTEP) to assist developing countries of the region plan for the implementation of the SDG7, as well as enhancing cooling energy efficiency in ASEAN countries and evidence-based guidance on achieving universal access to clean cooking.
The Forum is held as part of the Asia-Pacific Energy Week, which features a series of high-level events organized by ESCAP on sustainable energy. The Asia-Pacific Energy Week will continue with the Second Session of the ESCAP Committee on Energy from Octiber 9 to 11, and a Government Business Dialogue on Energy Transition on October 11.
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