Opening Plenary
Time for Action Now
Tuesday, 4 June 2024
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (GMT +8) | Auditorium Halls 1-4
Governments in Asia and the Pacific continue to face a multi-pronged set of complex issues related to the clean energy transition and climate change. More than 50% of the global annual greenhouse gas emissions are from this region, which also bears a significant burden of the global impacts of climate change from extreme weather conditions and droughts. At the same time, governments in this region and globally have recently raised their ambitions and commitments for action on climate change, and it is now time for urgent action to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C within reach.
The ACEF Opening Plenary Session sets the tone for the week. This opening plenary session will highlight the challenges and prospects for dramatically scaling up the financing of clean energy solutions while continuing to pursue the goal of more inclusive and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. The session will delve into the critical role of clean energy in directing development efforts towards carbon neutral pathways.
Speakers in the plenary come from governments, the private sector and leading international organizations. They will describe current trends and share their views on future prospects and opportunities for rapidly scaling up clean energy in Asia and the Pacific within an increasingly complex global energy landscape. Presentations and discussions will cover the key global challenges, such as establishing quick-win policies, accelerating the uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency, innovative financing models, transforming energy markets through improved governance and reforms, supporting innovative technologies and business models, and leveraging more on private sector investment to move from billions to trillions.
AGENDA
9:00 - 9:08 a.m.
Welcome to ACEF
ACEF Video Introduction
Emcee: David Morgado, Senior Energy Specialist, Sectors Group, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
9:08 - 9:14 a.m.
Welcome Remarks
Masatsugu Asakawa, President, ADB
9:14 - 9:28 a.m.
Ministerial Keynote Speakers
Terje Aasland, Minister of Energy, Norway
Keo Rottanak, Minister of Mines and Energy, Cambodia
9:28 - 9:52 a.m.
Introductory Remarks by Co-Organizers
Fatima Yasmin, Vice-President, Sectors and Themes, ADB
Boonam Shin, Executive Director, Korea Energy Agency (KEA)
Michael Schiffer, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Asia, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
9:52 - 10:02 a.m.
Audience Pulse
Audience interaction with Mentimeter to know the audience and gauge expectations (polling to understand audience diversity and opinions, word clouds, etc.)
Peter du Pont, Co-CEO, Asia Clean Energy Partners
10:02 - 10:30 a.m.
Keynote Addresses
Sione Pulotu ‘Akauola, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), Tonga
Manu Srivastava, Additional Chief Secretary, Madhya Pradesh Energy Department, India
Kavita Sinha, Director of the Private Sector Facility, Green Climate Fund
10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break
11:00 - 11:20 a.m.
Keynote Address
Satoru Harada, Chief Operating Officer, Power Division, Marubeni Corporation
Ma Jun, Founder and President, Institute of Finance and Sustainability
11:20 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion: From Billions to Trillions of Dollars!
Moderator: Priyantha Wijayatunga, Senior Director, Energy Sector Office, Sector Groups, ADB
Panelists:
Ramesh Subramaniam, Director General and Group Chief, Sectors Group, Asia and the Pacific, ADB
Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Undersecretary, Philippines Department of Energy
Md. Habibur Rahman , Senior Secretary, Power Division, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Bangladesh
Cindy Lim, Chief Executive Officer, Keppel Infrastructure Holdings
Yongping Zhai, Senior Advisor, Tencent