Policy strategies for promoting renewable energy investment in Asia and the Pacific vital to energy transition were explored during an Think20-ADBI (T20) roundtable. Developing Asia's economic, population, and consumption growth will continue to drive global energy demand, making the realization of net zero carbon emissions targets in the region imperative to fight climate change. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has constrained public funds and opened the need to pursue new and innovative energy transition financing. Researchers examined financing mechanisms that could address tight post-COVID-19 public budgets while meeting surging energy demand. They stressed the importance of Group of 20 (G20) led action for promoting financing breakthroughs within the sector. The roundtable was held as part of the 43rd International Association of Energy Economics International Conference, hosted at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo and online.
Several speakers delivered important insights during this event. Keynote speech was presented by Seungju Baek, Deputy Dean of Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro, Lead Co-Chair of T20 Indonesia and Yukari Niwa Yamashita, Managing Director of Institute of Energy Economics (IEEJ). The panel session was chaired by Yixin Yao (ADBI) and featured several distinctive speakers, namely Dina Azhgaliyeva (ADBI), Alin Halimatussadiah (LPEM University of Indonesia), David Elzinga (ADB) and Nuki Agya Utama (ASEAN Centre for Energy). Lastly, Dil Rahut (ADBI) and Kuki Soejachmoen (Indonesia Research Institute for Decarbonization and T20 Task Force 3 Lead Co-Chair) closed the session with some important remarks.
