Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to thank the Government of Indonesia for inviting me to the Energy Transition Forum under Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency.
ESCAP is very pleased to extend its support to Indonesia in this important role, which will also support the sustainable development aspirations of ESCAP member States across the Asia-Pacific region.
Under the Energy Transition Working Group, we will be providing technical assistance to develop an action plan to bring access to clean and affordable energy to developing countries. This work will have a special focus on island and archipelagic countries, of which there are many in our region.
Our support to Indonesia during its G20 Presidency is not limited to this initiative.
We are cooperating on nine initiatives under five working groups - energy transition; digital economy; trade, investment and industry; development; and environment and climate sustainability.
Under Indonesia’s capable leadership, I am confident that these initiatives will yield concrete results that will benefit all the countries of our region, not just the G20 members.
Turning to the Energy Transition, a critical element in the overall G20 cooperation.
We all understand that the global energy system is undergoing a transition to a model that is low carbon, sustainable and just. Through their commitments under the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, countries are working to meet critical benchmarks in energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Progress is varied across countries and targets. But we need to accelerate this energy transition.
One of the areas in need of policy attention is access to clean cooking and electricity. This is highlighted by the fact that only 67 per cent of citizens of the Asia-Pacific region have access to clean cooking fuels, and about 150 million people are without access to electricity.
These are key reasons why the focus on energy access through the Energy Transition Working Group is very welcome.
At ESCAP, we are committed to supporting Indonesia in this work, drawing on our technical capacity, convening skills, and networks.
I join you all in expressing my full support for the Energy Transition Working Group and best wishes for the success of Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency.
Thank you very much.
