Asian Development Bank Focuses on Clean Energy
Clean cooking solutions were on the agenda of the recent Clean Energy Week meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, Philippines (June 4-8), and the Alliance and several partners were there to help lead the discussion.
Over 800 delegates from throughout Asia were on hand to share insights into the latest trends in renewable energy, project financing, and national initiatives, as well as share best practices, policy recommendations, and developments on new partnerships and initiatives.
Energy access was a primary theme of the three-day conference and preceding financing and policy workshops, and the Alliance was there to provide attendees with a better understanding of the health, environmental, and economic benefits of clean cookstoves and fuels and the unique role that the Alliance can play in advancing clean cooking solutions.
I spoke on two panels during the conference, along with representatives from Alliance partners GIZ, SNV, Grameen Shakti, and the World LPG Association, who shared their insights on the steps needed to advance clean cooking solutions in Asia.
Practical Action, Geres, and other Alliance stakeholders were also on hand at the forum to share news of their ongoing work with the broader ADB community. In addition, the Alliance hosted a meeting of members of a budding regional alliance that is being formed to lead efforts in the Philippines to promote clean cookstoves and fuels. I was impressed by the enthusiasm that the growing Philippines clean cookstove and fuels community has for the advancement of the issue, as well as the country's vocal commitment to renewable energy.
On a lighter note, I was delighted to see that the winning entry in this year's Clean Energy Week video competition was a light-hearted piece about clean cookstoves. This shows that the issue is no longer on the back burner of people's attention spans.
For more information on the conference, please go to https://www.adb.org/news/events/7th-asia-clean-energy-forum-2012.
Watch the winning entry in this year's film contest.