Powering Asia's Future: Energy Resilience and Transition under AZEC

In light of the current situation in the Middle East, with the aim of strengthening the resilience of energy and critical materials supply chains and cooperating with Asian countries that share serious concerns, the "Asia Zero-Emission Community" (AZEC) Plus online Summit on energy resilience was held in April 2026. At this meeting, the "Partnership on Wide Energy and Resource Resilience Asia" (POWERR Asia) was newly launched.

POWERR Asia aims to provide financial cooperation for emergency responses such as procurement of crude oil and petroleum products and maintaining supply chains within Asia. In addition, it seeks to address structural challenges by expanding crude oil stockpile days in the region through the establishment of stock release mechanisms, cooperation in the construction and utilization of storage tanks, securing critical minerals, diversifying energy sources including biofuels, and promoting industrial advancement through energy conservation efforts.

While several examples are gradually emerging globally, many Asian countries remain at an early stage in both the institutional design and project development of transition finance, which channels capital to support emissions-intensive companies and sectors in transitioning over time toward sustainable practices aligned with long-term climate and development goals.

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on transition finance in Southeast Asia at the 2nd AZEC Ministerial Meeting in 2024, ADB, ERIA and METI are preparing to launch the "AZEC Inclusive Transition Finance Catalyst (AITF Catalyst)" late this year, an initiative designed to support the development of bankable transition financing projects.

This session aims to raise awareness and understanding of the AITF Catalyst by outlining its background, objectives, and future direction, as well as to demonstrate how transition finance in Asia can be advanced in a realistic and practical manner through a panel discussion featuring concrete examples and challenges from respective perspectives.