USAID/RDMA’s ECO-Asia Clean Development and Climate Program (CDCP) works to catalyze policy and finance solutions for clean energy in Asia’s largest developing economies through targeted technical assistance and training, regional cooperation, and knowledge sharing. The program is helping Asia’s fastest growing economies meet their energy needs through initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance energy security. In its first two years, ECO-Asia CDCP has initiated programs with partners that are expected to avoid 1.6 million metric tons of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel consumption, equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions from 3.1 million developing Asian households.
Regional Integration of Programs ECO-Asia CDCP takes a regional approach to solving problems – building partnerships, demonstrating solutions, and sharing information in Asia’s fastest growing economies. Program activities are implemented by a team of international and local experts who share in-depth knowledge of national and regional energy issues to maximize resources and program impacts. ECO-Asia CDCP works with governments and industry in the following areas:
Saving energy through efficient lighting Major advances in lighting technologies have not reached Asian markets and reduced energy consumption rates as expected. In large part this is because nearly half of the energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) sold in Asia fail to meet basic product quality and performance standards, burning out faster and giving off less light than they should. Since each CFL can help reduce nearly 75 pounds of CO2 emissions over its lifetime, ensuring consumer confidence in the quality of CFLs is critical to helping slow climate change. ECO-Asia CDCP is spearheading efforts to increase market penetration of CFLs by harmonizing test procedures and performance standards for CFLs produced and sold in the region.
Increasing power production and reducing coal use Half of the energy in developing Asia is produced by burning coal, and the use of coal is expected to grow 400 percent during the next 25 years. ECO-Asia CDCP is working with public and private sector partners to improve the efficiency of power plants in order to produce more electricity with less coal – a strategy that reduces greenhouse gas, mercury, and other emissions.
Increasing access to financing for clean energy
Many clean energy projects in Asia with the potential for high financial returns are not being implemented due to a lack of investment. ECO-Asia CDCP is working with clean energy project developers and financial institutions to stimulate increased investment in clean energy projects. Activities include assessments of the status of clean energy finance in China and India, technical assistance to project developers, and support for the design of effective clean energy funds and financing programs.
Building regional cooperation and knowledge sharing ECO-Asia CDCP and the Asian Development Bank have co-organized the Asia Clean Energy Forum for the past two years. In 2008, more than 500 participants from 38 countries gathered in Manila to share solutions that address climate change and energy security. The event attracted international media coverage, highlighting the need to scale-up investments in clean energy. With ECO-Asia CDCP’s support, this forum has become the premier event in Asia for policy makers, financiers, and energy experts to network, present new research findings, and share best practices. To supplement this event and other regional workshops, ECO-Asia CDCP hosts an innovative, user-generated website for clean energy experts to share and discuss information about clean energy solutions for Asia that help address climate change and energy security.
The program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and managed by the Regional Environment Office of the USAID Regional Development Mission/Asia in Bangkok.
