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Today (Friday, 20 November 2020), a consortium of governmental and philanthropic donors declared the launch of a new Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) at the ASEAN Energy Business Forum. The ETP will begin its first five-year implementation period from today, with UNOPS serving as its fund manager and host of its secretariat. The partnership aims to support sustainable energy transition in Southeast Asia in line with the Paris Agreement, with an initial focus on Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines - countries with significant coal consumption. A technical advisory board will be set up in the coming months, combining international and local expertise and country representatives to advise the partnership in its technical work.
The innovative consortium was first announced at the One Planet Summit in 2018 by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the French Development Agency (AFD), Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and the High Tide Foundation together with additional partners such as the Government of Canada, the United Kingdom’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Bloomberg Philanthropies and others. Since then the Partners invested significant efforts in the design of this unique partnership that brings together public and private sectors, as highlighted at the
High Level Forum at the 2019 Climate Summit of the United Nations Secretary General.
Southeast Asia's economic growth has generated new opportunities, raising the standard of living for many across the region. However, this has come at a high cost, as the growth was largely fueled by an enormous increase in the use of fossil fuels, leading to steeply rising greenhouse gas emissions, persistent environmental pollution, local health risks and exacerbated climate vulnerabilities worldwide.
The ETP seeks to partner with governments and implementers to harness vast untapped potential of renewable energy to be integrated into the energy mix for Southeast Asia to meet the rapidly growing demand for energy in the region. It also will pursue the significant opportunities that energy efficiency measures offer as well as the socio-economic opportunities and benefits associated with a sustainable and just energy transition in Southeast Asia. With financial support for technical assistance projects, aligned with ongoing programs in the region, the ETP will offer support packages and coordination, dialogue and knowledge expansion to boost leadership in and financing for energy transition in the region, aimed at achieving the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The multi-donor partnership foresees further growth and the members of ETP invite interested donors to join the initiative to achieve a greater impact through accelerated energy transition in the Southeast Asian region.
Commenting on the launch, Svenja Schulze, German Federal Minister of Environment, said: “The South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership brings together governments and philanthropies with their various strengths in supporting the transformation of the energy system in the region in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Its innovative approach can make a real difference. Through the ETP, its members’ funds and projects are pooled and aligned, thus maximizing their effect. Furthermore, we highly value the partnership’s contribution as a forum for exchange and coordination with engaged stakeholders. For these reasons, we have supported the Partnership as a founding member from the very start.”
Rémy Rioux, CEO Agence Française de Développement, said: “The AFD Group is proud to be part of the South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership which fosters cooperation between public donors and private foundations to accelerate the energy transition in Southeast Asia in line with the Paris Agreement. By gathering diverse stakeholders willing to collectively support Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines to unlock their potential of renewable energy, this coalition also builds on the Finance in Common Summit and fosters partnership-oriented initiatives to scale-up green finance”.
Kate Hampton, CEO Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, said: “Asian countries committing to net-zero emissions by mid-century have re-energized global momentum on climate. The South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) is a bold initiative at a crucial time. It will provide policymakers in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines with the evidence and expertise required for the first step to net zero: the clean energy transition. This transition will bring green jobs, cheaper electricity and cleaner air to South East Asia. We at CIFF are excited to be part of ETP – we believe that this partnership will enhance the prosperity and wellbeing of Southeast Asian nations for decades to come.”
Samina Kadwani, UNOPS Director for Thailand, Indonesia and the Pacific, said: “I commend the donors of the Energy Transition Partnership for establishing a new and forward-looking, dynamic and agile platform to support Southeast Asia in its efforts to achieve climate and sustainable development goals. UNOPS is proud to be associated with the partnership as its fund manager and secretariat and is well positioned to advance the Partnership’s goals.”
Press contact details (for liaison with the media):
- Sirpa Jarvenpaa, ETP Director
- Maria Palamini, Head of Programme
- Markus Schnall, Fund Manager
- Zuzana Hackova, Communications and Outreach Analyst