In his opening remarks to the Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Clean Energy Governance and Regulation, ADB Vice-President Bindu Lohani said the twin challenges posed by climate change and growing energy demand require the urgent leadership of governments and their development partners across the region.

'Asian countries need to think hard about low-carbon development, and a full armory of technological, financial, policy and regulatory tools will be necessary to help drive the region toward a clean energy future,' Mr. Lohani said. 'Improving governance and regulation - the reason we are all here today - will ensure that vital investments in clean energy actually deliver improved access to energy for all.'

The conference is part of ADB's week-long Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF), an annual event that focuses on boosting investments and technologies to advance clean energy solutions.

ADB is co-hosting the conference with United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with assistance from the International Energy Agency, the World Resources Institute and the Regulatory Assistance Project.

“Investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency needs to ramp up exponentially,” said Olivier Carduner, Mission Director for USAID's Regional Development Mission for Asia. 'But this depends, in large measure, on creating the right policy and regulatory environment. We need to make sure we are not putting unnecessary roadblocks in the way of investors, innovators and entrepreneurs.”