DUSHANBE, September 5, 2012, Asia-Plus — The “Third International Forum: Energy for Sustainable Development. Capacity building for energy efficiency and access to cleaner energy in Central Asia and neighboring regions” will be held at the Issyk Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan from September 12-14, press release issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said.
The Forum is organized jointly by the Government of Kyrgyzstan, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF). This Forum is a follow-up to the International Energy Efficiency Forums held in 2010 in Astana, Kazakhstan and in 2011 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The Forum is reportedly an illustration of the actions taken and commitments made by various stakeholders in the framework of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All declared by the UN General Assembly. It will contribute to reaffirming the commitments to sustainable energy, assessing progress made and identifying the gaps that still exist in implementing policies and legislation for facilitating market formation in energy efficiency (EE) and access to cleaner energy.
The Forum will focus on the following topics: 1) sustainable energy in Central Asia and neighboring regions: current status, barriers and opportunities as well as the role of the Governments and public sector in creating favorable environment for sustainable energy promotion; 2) energy efficiency in buildings and the housing sector: challenges, success cases and opportunities; 3) investments in energy efficiency and cleaner energy: ways to finance energy efficiency and cleaner energy projects; and 4) the role of the private sector in promoting cleaner energy options in Central Asia and neighboring regions.
The Forum will include a high-level segment with participation of ministers and officials of the government bodies responsible for energy and sustainable development in the countries of Central Asia and neighboring countries. Participants are expected to issue a joint statement on the critical role that international cooperation can play in promoting EE and access to cleaner energy.
The plenary sessions on the first day of the Forum will consist of high-level round table and two sessions which will include keynote presentations and panel discussions with high-level officials from the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, Governments of other Central Asian and neighboring countries, representatives of the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations, representatives of international financial institutions, commercial banks, investment and industry companies, and energy efficiency experts.
Four parallel workshops will take place on the second day: Legal and Regulatory Frameworks to Promote Energy Efficiency and Cleaner Energy in North and Central Asia; Energy Efficiency in Buildings; Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in Advanced Fuel Technologies; and Case Studies on Energy Efficiency Financing and Promotion of Advanced Energy Efficiency Technologies.
