Energy demand is projected to increase annually through 2035. An alternative approach to meeting this challenge is the scaling up of low-carbon technology (LCT) and energy efficiency. IPEx, a technology market place and brokerage platform, is designed to facilitate the transfer and deployment of new LCTs in developing Asia.

Urban water supply and use have a large energy impact. Rising energy use and cost also pose signficant risks to the water sector. Better understanding and management of  the links between water and energy could help countries formulate a sustainable, whole-system approach that would ensure water and energy security and resiliency.

Advancing budget transparency requires collaborative efforts of various stakeholders. In Mongolia, there have been efforts to uphold transparency, including the participation of citizens in the monitoring of public funds. 

Indonesia has a wealth of experience in advocating for Freedom of Information, details of which are discussed in this presentation. 

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) has a set of mechanics and eligibility criteria that countries who wish to join should comply with. This presentation outlines the actions collectively taken by the members of the OGP. 

ICF International’s Emma Lewis introduces the green city development toolkit and its purpose. She discusses the “when” and “why” in using the toolkit. Asian Development Bank’s Urban Development experts Andrew Mcintyre and Jingmin Huang shares their thoughts on what makes a city “green,” and the important elements that create one.

ICF International’s Emma Lewis presents the three-step city assessment framework, and discusses existing tools and resources for green and sustainable urban development. The tool kit is a reference for Asian Development Bank staff, consultants, and city leaders that introduces key concepts of green city development, and identifies crosscutting issues that help in designing urban programs to support city development in a green and sustainable manner.

The Green City Development Toolkit outlines a three-step city assessment framework and provides a summary of existing tools and resources for sustainable development. Users will gain greater understanding of key issues that will assist in the preparation and design of green city development programs and projects in Asian cities. 

The Dhaka case study is based on the joint consulting project of Asian Development Bank and the government of the Republic of Korea and The Export-Import Bank of Korea under a Knowledge Sharing Program. Similar to the Karachi case study, the Dhaka example is about the possibility of developing a waste-to-fuel system that can establish a sustainable transport network in the city. This presentation provides an extensive assessment of the project, its current status in Bangladesh, implementation, and the issues tackled. 

Following the fundamentals of waste-to-fuel technologies and the experience of the Republic of Korea, this presentation concentrates on the Karachi case study. As the largest and most populous city of Pakistan, Karachi generates a multitude of waste that primarily end up in canals, the river, and the Arabian Sea. There is a huge opportunity to address the waste issues of Karachi by segregating the waste and converting it into biogas, which could then be used as fuel for public transportation.