More than two decades of sustained economic growth across most of South Asia have raised living standards and brought about significant poverty reduction. But the region is facing severe environmental pollution and is one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. South Asia is expected to grow faster than any other developing country region this year—but slower than its pre-pandemic pace, not fast enough to meet the region’s development goals, and vulnerable to adverse shocks. Countries need to accelerate growth and create jobs in a sustainable manner.
Energy use in the region’s industrial sector is a major contributor to emissions, driving both climate change and air pollution. South Asia uses twice as much energy as the global average to produce a unit of output and the region lags in the adoption of more advanced energy-efficient technologies. The global clean energy transition is an opportunity for the region to lift productivity, cut pollution, reduce reliance on fuel imports, and create jobs. To capitalize on this, countries need to encourage the adoption of advanced energy-efficient technologies and take steps to protect vulnerable workers impacted by labor market shifts.
By taking advantage of the forthcoming visit to Tokyo by Martin Raiser, World Bank’s Vice President for South Asia Region, and his leadership team, we will organize a seminar “Green Growth: Energy Efficiency in South Asia”. This seminar will be organized in a hybrid manner (participation at the venue in person or online participation) and conducted in English and Japanese with simultaneous interpretation.
Date/Time:
2pm-3:30pm, Thursday February 29, 2024 (Japan Standard Time)
Program:
Keynote presentation
“South Asia Development Update, October 2023 – Green Growth and Energy Efficiency in South Asia”
Martin Raiser
Vice President for South Asia Region, World Bank
Presentation
“JICA’s Programs to support South Asian countries toward green growth”
Mikio Hataeda
Senior Vice President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Comments
Tatsufumi Yamagata
Professor, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
To participate:
Please register via online form posted on this webpage.