Forum highlights low-carbon technologies and policies as key to Asia Pacific's sustainable future

Countries in Asia and the Pacific must adopt more effective and innovative low-carbon policies and technologies to secure greener and more sustainable growth, delegates said on Wednesday at a forum hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Hunan Department of Ecology and Environment.

"A low-carbon future is vital for combating climate change," said ADB Vice-President for Administration and Corporate Management Deborah Stokes.

"This year's forum is about getting people together, exchanging ideas, and getting down to work, particularly in promoting cooperation, innovation, and commercially scalable low-carbon solutions for green development in both urban and rural areas in China as well as the rest of the Asia and Pacific region," she said.

The Asia Pacific Forum on Low-Carbon Development, now in its fourth year with the theme 'Low Carbon Solutions for Our Green Future,' brought together more than 600 policymakers and technology developers to showcase success stories in promoting and advancing low-carbon solutions to development challenges across the Asia and Pacific region.

With keynote speeches from former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs of the National Development and Reform Commission Xie Zhenhua, the three-day forum will look into the industrial transformation needed for low-carbon economies including future energy services, pollution control, revolutions in building design, zero-waste cities and other technological advances.

Ensuring a low-carbon growth path and development future for Asia and the Pacific is critical for the entire world population. Carbon emissions from the region have risen rapidly from 25 per cent of the global total in the 1990s to 40 per cent in 2012 and are expected to reach 50 per cent by 2030. Unabated climate change can also lead to significant economic losses for countries in Asia and the Pacific.

ADB said in a statement that it has been working to address the effects of climate change and promote low-carbon growth in Asia and the Pacific, particularly through the introduction of new technologies and policy support.

For instance, the ADB-supported Climate Technology Finance Centre in Hunan province has been demonstrating successful low-carbon initiatives that can be replicated elsewhere in China and in the Asia and Pacific region.

This includes the establishment of a low carbon technology venture fund, launch of an accelerator programme to mentor early stage clean technology startups, and the creation of a low carbon technology network and market platform.

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