8 June 2012: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) hosted the Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2012, which was organized around the theme “Accelerating Low-Carbon Energy For All.” The Forum was framed around four thematic tracks: energy access; technology; policy and regulation; and finance and investment.

The Forum underscored the need for better knowledge sharing and technology transfer to move clean energy from the exception to the norm, given Asia’s rapidly increasing energy demand, as well as the region’s vulnerability to climate change. In discussions on technology innovation, participants called for concessional financing and a dedicated clean energy fund. The policy and regulation track discussed the importance of ensuring implementation and enforcement of policies supported by technical assistance, safeguards, and capacity building. The finance and investment track highlighted the importance of good demonstration projects and the ADB’s role in bridge-building.

The Forum stressed successful strategies and mechanisms for accelerating access to affordable, low-carbon energy. Participants shared lessons learned about what works in the key areas of energy access, clean energy technology, policy and regulation, and finance and how stakeholders can work together to accelerate the uptake of low-carbon energy technologies in the region.

The daily plenaries addressed: accelerating low-carbon energy for all; financing sustainability and enabling profitability; public and private perspectives; and the future of the global financial architecture for climate change.

The Forum, which took place from 6-8 June 2012, in Manila, the Philippines, brought together approximately 850 participants, representing governments, financial institutions, civil society, academia, international organizations and the private sector, in daily plenaries, dozens of parallel sessions, and a number of side events. [IISD RS Coverage] [ADB Press Release]