Climate campaigners demonstrate in front of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on June 5, 2024 calling on the delegates to the 19th Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) to enable Asia’s rapid transition to renewable energy systems by 2050. ADB, along with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Korea Energy Agency (KEA), is hosting hundreds of clean energy practitioners from Asia for the 19th ACEF from June 3 to 7.

“We urge ACEF to walk its talk on accelerating the clean energy transition, to go beyond discussion of insights and approaches that accelerate the clean energy transition and instead act as a forum to push and enable Asian countries to achieve fossil fuel phase out by 2035 and just and equitable transition to 100% renewables by 2050,” said Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD).

Nacpil added: “In Asia, millions of people still have no access to electricity while many more are making do with dirty fuel that lead to premature deaths or with unreliable but costly electricity. We must strive to transition to clean energy that can provide accessible and affordable power for all. This is to avoid a climate catastrophe as well as to support the development of people and communities.”

The theme of this year’s ACEF is “Accelerating the Clean Energy Transition and Ensuring Energy Security and Affordability – Time for Urgent Action Now”. Participants include government agencies, private sector, equipment and service providers, financiers, philanthropic organizations, researchers and non-governmental organizations. (Photos by Asia Press Photo)