New Decarbonisation Strategies on Our Path to Net Zero

Energy experts gathered at the Singapore-International Energy Agency (IEA) Ministerial Forum to discuss decarbonisation strategies, and how the new IEA Regional Cooperation Centre can support decarbonisation efforts in Asia.

The panel discussion was moderated by Ursula Borak, Deputy Director-General, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

H.E. Sompop Pattanariyankool, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Thailand, kicked off the panel discussion by sharing the challenges the country faces in its clean energy transition.

He recommended focusing on achieving energy efficiency at low cost as an important first step to decarbonisation. Regional connectivity initiatives to promote the sharing of energy resources and knowledge are also essential for the region's clean energy transition.

Fostering energy interconnectivity

Dr Anders Hoffmann, IEA Governing Board Chair; Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Denmark, shared that the IEA Regional Cooperation Centre can play a role in supporting policy development and building frameworks to foster energy interconnectivity.

The Centre can also promote knowledge sharing in areas such as carbon markets and pricing.

Meg O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Woodside Energy, described the need to recognise the different stages of economic development and resource mix in countries across Asia, to align efforts towards shared decarbonisation goals.

Collaborating on decarbonisation strategies

Continuing the discussion on low carbon innovations, Izumi Kai, Chief Executive Officer, JERA Asia, touched on the new technological developments to incentivise carbon capture and further promote decarbonisation efforts.

Highlighting that there are multiple pathways to achieving net zero, Masanori Tsuruda, Deputy Commissioner for International Affairs, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, METI, Japan, touched on the principles adopted by the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC). Providing a platform for cooperation towards carbon neutrality, the AZEC aims to achieve the “triple breakthrough” of addressing climate change, promoting economic growth and achieving energy security simultaneously.

Stay tuned for live updates! Follow @SIEW_sg on Telegram and Twitter for the latest as we dive into the conversations shaping Day 2.