EU roundtable with Asia-Pacific on climate change

The roundtable brought together senior officials working on Asia-Pacific policy in the EU Member States, senior officials from countries in the Asia-Pacific region, experts from selected policy institutes and other invited specialists.

The event provided a valuable opportunity to discuss global issues and climate politics in view of improving mutual understanding and exploring the scope for advancing cooperation in areas such as industrial policy, research, trade, and development co-operation.

Among the specific topics discussed were low emission development strategies, technology transfer, innovative carbon market mechanisms and improved delivery methods for climate change assistance.

The roundtable followed a similar event for Africa held in October 2011.

For more information, please contact: CLIMA-U58-ARESec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CLIMA-U58-ARES[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)

Useful Documents

• Agenda
• Concept note
• Biographies of speakers
• Participants list
• 18 Jul 2011 - Council conclusions on EU Climate Diplomacy Council meeting
• Opening address by Maciej Popowski (European External Action Service, Deputy-Secretary General)
• Introductory observations by Dirk Meganck (DG DEVCO, Director for Asia and Pacific)
• 'Parking Place Model - A Just Global Compact' - Dr Kirit Parikh
• 'Policy For Environmentally Sustainable Development - Perspectives From Vietnam' - Dr Nguyen Huu Ninh
• 04 Jun 2012 - Roundtable Report

Presentations

• Session 1: Responding to new policy realities
  • Theme 1 - Can the quest for growth and increased wellbeing be reconciled with a “stable” climate? EU and Asia-Pacific views - William Hanna, Ambassador & Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh
  • Theme 1 - Can the quest for growth and increased well-being be reconciled with a stable climate? - Victoria Sisante Bataclan, Philippines Ambassador to the EU
  • Theme 1 - Well being for all in a climate stable world - Dr. Kirit Parikh, Chairman, Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe)
  • Theme 2 - Common Ground on Climate Change: Shared Challenges and Opportunities in Europe and the Asia-Pacific Region - Jacob Werksman, Principal Adviser, DG-CLIMA
  • Theme 2 - Climate change – ASEAN Experiences - Dr. Raman Letchumanan, Head of the Environment Division, ASEAN Secretariat
• Session 2: Competition vs Cooperation
  • Theme 1 - Securing sustainable energy for future and embracing the low carbon industry: win-wins from energy cooperation and the knowledge sharing dilemma – Vietnam Case - Dr Nguyen Huu Ninh, Chairman, Center for Environment Research, Education and Development (CERED)
  • Theme 1 - Cooperation on Sustainability - Kersten Barth, Sustainability Director, Siemens
  • Theme 2 - Energy trends and low emissions strategies for Asia-Pacific - Laura Cozzi, Deputy Head, Office of the Chief Economist, International Energy Agency
  • Theme 2 - Potential for Low Emissions Development Strategies: Opportunities and Mechanisms in Asia-Pacific - Kaveh Zahedi, Deputy Director of the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE), United Nations Environment Programme
  • Theme 3 - Climate Financing in Asia and the Pacific - David McCauley, Head, Climate Change Program Coordination Unit, Asian Development Bank
  • Theme 3 - Innovative Sources of Financing – potential to leverage private sector financing - Monika Beck, Head of the Financial and Private Sector Development in Southeast Europe division, KfW Entwicklungsbank
• Session 3: Challenges for the vulnerable
  • Theme 1 - Adapting to the inevitable- Climate effects Asia and the Pacific Region - Chencho Norbu, Director of the Department of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests
  • Theme 1 - Climate Risks and Adaptation in Asian Coastal Megacities - Dr Bhichit Rattakul, Special Advisor of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre(ADPC)
  • Theme 2 - A Pacific island’s perspective with a Samoan bias - Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi Elisaia, Samoan Ambassador to the UN (Notes/Comments)

Video

• CLIMATE DIPLOMACY ROUNDTABLE EU-ASIA PACIFIC - Video

Photos

Nguyen Huu Ninh (Chairman, Center for Environment Research, Education and Development Vietnam) and Kersten Barth (Sustainability Director, Siemens) led the roundtable discussions on Securing a Sustainable Energy future and embracing the low carbon industry

David McCauley (Asian Development Bank, Philippines) addressed the roundtable via videoconference on the theme of Innovative Sources of Financing

Location