Tag: East Asia Forum

2023 East Asia Forum

Watch the recording here.

This year’s East Asia Forum will be held alongside the Asia-Pacific Forum on Green and Low Carbon Development (APFGLCD). The event is jointly organized by ADB, ADB-PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative (RKSI), ADB Institute and the Ecology and Environment Department of Hunan. It is a flagship platform for sharing knowledge and insights on green development and low-carbon initiatives in the region.

This year’s agenda includes plenary sessions and parallel sessions covering topics such as climate change, carbon pricing, greenhouse gas emissions reduction in agriculture, biodiversity conservation, financial innovation for climate action, and ADB projects promoting sustainability. The event aims to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among participants from various sectors, including public, private, international organizations, academia, non-governmental organizations, and think tanks.

See Forum Handbook here. 

See video highlights here. 

Agenda:

TimeProgram
9:00 – 10:30Opening Ceremony
Jointly organized with APFGLCD
10:30 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:30 Plenary Session: The Road to COP 28: How’s Asia-Pacific’s Battle against Climate Change
Jointly organized with APFGLCD
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30Parallel Session 2: Carbon Pricing Developments and Outlook for Green and Low Carbon Development in the PRC
Jointly organized with APFGLCD

This session explores the growing dynamics of carbon pricing in Asia and the Pacific, with a focus on the experiences and knowledge in the PRC.

Chair
Virender Kumar Duggal, Principal Climate Change Specialist, ADB.

Keynote Speakers

  • Hui DING, Director, Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s Department of Climate Change.

  • Rob STOWE, Co-Director, Harvard Project on Climate Agreements.

  • Weihua YANG, Gansu Carbon Crediting Scheme Expert, ADB Consultant.

  • Dr. Susan KERR, Senior Vice President and the Chief Economist, Environment Defense Fund


Discussions/Q&A
Parallel Session A: Greenhouse Gas (GHS) Emissions Reduction from Agriculture

This session identifies the importance of emission reduction efforts in agriculture, showcases agricultural technologies and smart farming practices to mitigate CO2-equivalent emissions in East Asia, and explores opportunities for related policy improvements.

Chair
Yixin YAO, Senior Research Fellow, ADBI.

Speaker
Shenggen FAN, Professor, College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University.

Panelists

  • Shenggen FAN, Professor, College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University.

  • Jikun HUANG, Professor, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University.

  • Chen JI, Associate Professor, Zhejiang University.

  • Wei XIONG, Senior Scientist, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.


Q&A
15:30 – 16:00 Break
16:00 – 17:30 Parallel Session B: Biodiversity Conservation for Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience

Natural ecosystems can support climate mitigation and adaptation yet also suffer from climate change impacts. The climate-nature nexus approach could address challenges and create multiple benefits. This session will share best practices on natural capital accounting, spatial technology, digital platform, strict policy and Regional Flyway Initiative (RFI) to protect biodiversity for carbon neutrality and climate resilience; discuss potential investment projects and develop partnerships for climate and nature.

Chair
Stefan RAU, Principal Urban Development Specialist, Water and Urban Development Sector Office, ADB.

Speakers

  • Jixi GAO, Director General, Satellite Application Center for Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the PRC.

  • Duncan A. LANG, Senior Environment Specialist, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB,
    and Guangchun LEI, Advisor to Science Unite of the East Asia-Australasian Flyway Partnership.

  • Yaling WU, Senior Advisor, Ant Group Research Institute.


Panelists

  • Facilitator: GUO Dongmei, Environment Specialist, Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Sector Office, Sector Group, ADB

  • Daming BAO, DG-level Official, Department of Wetland Management, National Forest and Grassland Administration.

  • Yan ZHANG, Head, IUCN China.

  • Xiubo YU, Secretary General of China Ecosystem Research Network.


Q&A

Wrap-Up:
Guojun QIU, Deputy Director General, Department of Rural Economy, National Development and Reform Committee.
18:00 – 20:00 Networking and Reception

TimeProgram
9:00 – 10:30Parallel Session 8: Financial Innovation for Climate and Trade
Jointly organized with APFGLCD

The session will introduce innovative approaches to finance new technologies for transition pathways to reduce global warming to 1.5 degrees.

Chair
Kelly BIRD, Advisor, East Asia Department, ADB.

Speakers

  • Eugene WONG, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Finance Institute Asia (SFIA), Malaysia.

  • Yao WANG, Director General, International Institute of Green Finance Central University of Finance and Economics, and Deputy Director General of Green Finance Committee of Chinese Society for Finance and Banking.

  • Shinichi TSUNODA, General Manager, Sustainable Business Promotion Department, Muzuho Financial Group, Inc, Japan.

  • Gang LIN, General Manager, Client and Credit Management Department, The Export-Import Bank of China, the PRC


Q&A
11:00 – 12:30 Parallel Session C: Greening the PRC, Four ADB Projects Driving the Country’s Sustainable Future

This session will share operational knowledge from four ADB projects in the PRC covering biodiversity protection, scaling and catalyzing green finance, and promoting sustainable urban development. Lessons and experiences from these projects will benefit the design and implementation of similar projects in other PRC provinces and developing member countries.

Chair
Bart EDES, Professor of Practice, McGill University.

Opening Remarks
Lijuan CHEN, Deputy Director, International Financial Institution II Division, The Department of International Economic and Financial Cooperation, Ministry of Finance.

Speakers
Jiangsu Yancheng Wetlands Protection Project

  • Zhiming NIU, Senior Project Officer (Environment), East Asia Department, ADB.

  • Hao CHEN, Director, Science and Research Unit, Yancheng Rare Birds National Nature Reserve.


Wuhan Urban Environmental Improvement Project and Hubei Huangshi Urban Pollution Control and Environment Management Project

  • Baochang ZHENG, Senior Project Management Officer, East Asia Department, ADB.

  • Zhimin XIE, Technical Director, Project Management Office, Wuhan.

  • Hongquan RUAN, Director, Project Management Office, Huangshi.


Shandong Green Development Fund Project

  • Kang Hang LEUNG, Principal Infrastructure Finance Specialist, Sector Group, ADB. (Online)

  • Yuxi WANG, Executive Director, CICC Capital Management. (Online)


Shaanxi Accelerated Energy Efficiency and Environment Improvement Financing Project

  • Gloria GERILLA-TEKNOMO, Senior Transport Officer, Transport Sector Group, ADB.

  • Xi ZHANG, General Manager, Shaanxi Financial Development Investment Management Company.


Q&A
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30Plenary Session: Transition to a Net Zero Asia-Pacific Region
Jointly organized with APFGLCD
15:30 – 16:00 Break
16:00 – 17:30 Closing Ceremony
Jointly organized with APFGLCD

Decarbonizing Asia and the Pacific: Experience from East Asia

With the theme, “Decarbonizing Asia and the Pacific: Experience from East Asia,” the East Asia Department (EARD), ADB will be holding the East Asia Forum 2022. This flagship event co-hosted with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) provides an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences in critical areas of climate transition among key stakeholders in Asia and the Pacific. Selected experiments from East Asian countries will be highlighted.

Watch the recording on YouTube or Bilibili. 

Agenda:

TimeProgram
13:00 – 13:50Opening Session

Session Chair
M. Teresa Kho, Director General, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Opening Remarks

  • Ahmed M. Saeed, Vice President (Operations 2) for East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, Asian Development Bank

  • Tetsushi Sonobe, Dean, Asian Development Bank Institute


Keynote Speech
Towards a Framework for Financing Climate Transition.
Ma Jun, Chairman, Green Finance Committee of China Society for Finance and Banking/Co-Chair, G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group

Context Setting Presentation
Jonathan Walters, Consultant, Asian Development Bank
13:50 – 14:00 Break
14:00 – 15:30 Plenary Session: Planning and Acting for Effective Decarbonization

Session chair
Sujata Gupta, Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Presentation
Long-Term Planning for Decarbonization.
Richard Baron, Executive Director, 2050 Pathways Platform

People’s Republic of China’s Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy.
Li Gao, Director General, Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the People’s Republic of China

Panelist

  • Noelle O’Brien, Director, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Division, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, Asian Development Bank

  • Arief Wijaya, Program Director, WRI Indonesia (Open Climate Network Indonesia, Climate Policy Options)

  • Suzanna Sumkhuu, Acting CEO, New Recovery Policy Accelerator of Mongolia

  • Ryuzo Sugimoto, Director, International Cooperation and Sustainable Infrastructure Office, Global Environmental Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan

  • Assaad Razzouk, CEO, Gurīn Energy, Singapore


Q&A and Discussion
15:30 – 15:40 Break
15:40 – 17:00 Regional Exchange 1: Financing Decarbonization Efforts

Session Chair
Xiaoqin Fan, Director, Public Management, Financial Sector, and Regional Cooperation Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Presentation
Hong Kong, China’s Experiences in Green Bond Market Development.
Joseph Chan, Undersecretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Defining and Measuring Green Finance: The IT System.
Hui Chen, CEO, Beijing Uni Inclusive Technology Limited Company

Panelist

  • Michael Zhang, Vice Chairperson, Investment Banking, Deutsche Bank, the People’s Republic of China

  • Iskandar Abdullaev, Deputy Director 2, CAREC Institute

  • Boldoo Magvan, CEO, Mongolia Green Finance Corporation

  • Munlika Sompranon, Director of Policy and Strategy Section, Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, Ministry of Energy, Thailand

  • Joshua Ling, Climate Change Specialist (Climate Finance), Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Division, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, Asian Development Bank

  • Anqian Huang, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, Public Management, Financial Sector, and Regional Cooperation Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

  • Biao Huang, Principal Investment Specialist, Private Sector Financial Institutions Division, Private Sector Operations Department, Asian Development Bank


    • Q&A and Discussion

TimeProgram
Regional Exchange 2: Transforming Suffering Cities
13:00 – 13:552.1 Managing Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Session Chair
Jiwan Acharya, Principal Energy Specialist, Energy Division, South Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Presentation
Co-benefits of Air Pollution Management and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction- Experiences from the Greater Beijing -Tianjin-Hebei Region Program.
Yun Zhou, Senior Environment Specialist, Sustainable Infrastructure Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Panelist

  • Deepak Sahani, Manager, Corporate Planning, Energy Efficiency Service Limited, India

  • Vaqar Zakaria, Managing Director, Hagler Bailly Pakistan

  • Faela Sufa, Director, Institution of Transportation and Development Policy, Indonesia

  • Yixin Yao, Senior Research Fellow, Asian Development Bank Institute

  • Shannon Cowlin, Principal Energy Specialist, Sustainable Infrastructure Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank


Q&A and Discussion
13:55 – 14:502.2 Developing Carbon-Neutral Cities

Session Chair
Asif Cheema, Director, Urban and Social Sectors Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Presentation
Developing Low-Carbon and Carbon-Neutral Cities in the People’s Republic of China and Mongolia.

  • Stefan Rau, Senior Urban Development Specialist, Urban and Social Sectors Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

  • Arnaud Heckmann, Principal Urban Development Specialist, Urban and Social Sectors Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank


Panelist

  • Yang Xiu, Associate Senior Researcher and Research Director, Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University

  • Dražen Kučan, Sector Lead/Senior Urban and Energy Efficiency Specialist, Division Mitigation Adaptation, Green Climate Fund

  • Yong Ye, Country Director, Pakistan Resident Mission, Central and West Asia Department, Asian Development Bank


Q&A and Discussion
14:50 – 15:00 Break
Regional Exchange 3: Toward Low-Carbon Rural Development
15:00 – 15:55 3.1 Low-Carbon Rangeland and Livestock Management

Session Chair
Pavit Ramachandran, Country Director, Mongolia Resident Mission, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Presentation
Carbon Sequestration Through Sustainable Rangeland and Livestock Management.

  • Arnaud Heckmann, Principal Urban Development Specialist, Urban and Social Sectors Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

  • Jan Hinrichs, Senior Natural Resources Economist, Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank


Panelist

  • Enkh-Amgalan Tseelei, Member of the Steering Committee and Advisor to Executive Team, Mongolian National Federation of Pasture User Groups of Herders

  • Dil B. Rahut, Vice Chair of Research, Senior Research Fellow/Economist, Asian Development Bank Institute

  • Michiko Katagami, Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist, Rural Development and Food Security (Agriculture) Thematic Group, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, Asian Development Bank

  • Hans Siewert Woldring, Senior Evaluation Specialist, Sector and Project Division, Independent Evaluation Department, Asian Development Bank


Q&A and Discussion
15:55 – 16:503.2 Achieving Carbon Neutrality through Bio-Based Value Chains

Session Chair
Yolanda Fernandez Lommen, Country Director, People’s Republic of China Resident Mission, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Presentation
Asian Development Bank’s Support to Low-Carbon Rural Development.
Thomas Panella, Director, Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Division, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Panelist

  • Miao Zheng, Deputy Director, Department of Farmland Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the People’s Republic of China

  • Yiching Song, Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • Wei Liu, Senior Sustainability Scientist, Luohan Academy of the Alibaba Group

  • Srinivasan Ancha, Principal Climate Change Specialist, Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Division, Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank


Q&A and Discussion
16:50 – 17:30 Closing Session: Deepening Partnerships

Session Chair
Akiko Terada-Hagiwara
Principal Economist, Office of the Director General, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Panelist

  • Peter Morgan, Senior Consulting Economist and Advisor to the Dean, Asian Development Bank Institute

  • Dongxiang Li, Lead Regional Cooperation Specialist, Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division, South Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

  • Safdar Parvez, Advisor, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank


Closing Remarks
M. Teresa Kho, Director General, East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

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