Uncategorized – APBest – Asia Pacific Basin for Energy Strategies

Masdar enters Philippines renewables market

ABU DHABI, 16th January, 2025 (WAM) — Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar has announced its entry into the Philippines market, signing agreements with the government of the Philippines to develop 1 gigawatt (GW) of clean energy projects to strengthen its growing portfolio in Southeast Asia.

The Implementation Agreement with the Department of Energy and the Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Investments of the Republic of the Philippines covers the development of solar, wind and battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a total capacity of up to 1GW by 2030.

The signing ceremony of both agreements was witnessed by Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, and Raphael P.M. Lotilla, Secretary of Energy of the Philippines.

The Implementation Agreement was signed by Undersecretary Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Republic of the Philippines Department of Energy, and Masdar’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, with the MoU exchanged between the Ambassador of the Philippines to the UAE, Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver, and Masdar’s CEO.

The agreement, which will support the Philippines Energy Transition Programme to achieve 35 percent renewable energy in power generation by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040, operationalises the MoU on Energy Transition Cooperation signed in November 2024 between the Philippines and the UAE during the working visit of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the country, which identified renewable energy as an area of collaboration.

Dr. Al Jaber said, “This partnership marks a new chapter in the long-standing relationship between the UAE and the Philippines. By leveraging the UAE’s world-class expertise in renewable energy and the Philippines’ abundant natural resources, this agreement will create jobs, drive low-carbon socio-economic progress and expand global renewable energy capacity in line with the UAE Consensus.”

Lotilla commented, “Building on the long-standing ties between our nations and the recent Energy Transition Cooperation agreement, we welcome Masdar’s proven leadership and expertise in delivering utility-scale renewable energy solutions. This collaboration will significantly advance our goal of achieving 35 percent renewable energy in power generation by 2030.”

Secretary Lotilla further emphasised that the landmark partnership underscores the Philippines’ commitment to a clean energy future.

By integrating renewable energy into the country’s energy mix on an unprecedented scale, the Administration of President Marcos Jr. is enhancing energy security while laying a strong foundation for sustainable economic growth and environmental stewardship.

With Masdar’s support, the Philippines is setting a new benchmark for energy transition in the region.

Ceferino S. Rodolfo, Undersecretary at the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry and Board of Investments Managing Head, commented, “It is inspiring to witness the strengthening of the bilateral relations between our countries, following the visit of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos to UAE last year and a series of reciprocal ministerial missions thereafter.

The partnership with Masdar is a testament to our mutual commitment to fostering a dynamic and sustainable economic future, and our shared vision for economic sustainability and prosperity. This aligns seamlessly with the Philippine strategy to position ourselves as a smart and sustainable hub for manufacturing and services in Southeast Asia.”

He added, “The Philippines is making significant strides in the renewable energy sector. Masdar’s own planned renewables projects will contribute to accelerating sustainable economic growth in the different regions in the Philippines, and will especially complement our infrastructure development initiatives within the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) — Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas — which is being developed as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and logistics.

“The Department of Trade and Industry, through the Board of Investments, will be Masdar’s staunch partner. Together with Masdar, we give our unwavering commitment to fostering a greener and more resilient future for the Philippines.”

Al Ramahi welcomed the announcement as a significant expansion of Masdar’s activities in Southeast Asia, a key strategic market in its ongoing efforts to achieve a renewable energy capacity of 100GW by 2030.

“With our proven success in implementing large-scale renewable energy projects in the region and worldwide, we look forward to utilising our expertise and experience to support the Philippines in meeting its ambitious renewable energy goals,” he added.

The agreement marks Masdar’s entry into the renewables sector in the Philippines. Southeast Asia is a key investment destination for Masdar.

The company has developed the region’s largest floating solar facility in Indonesia – the 145MW Cirata Floating Solar PV plant – which is generating enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.

In February 2023, it entered the geothermal energy sector through a strategic investment in Pertamina Geothermal Energy.

Masdar also signed a landmark agreement with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority in 2023 for the development of 10GW of clean energy projects across the country.

By RM / ES

International Day of Clean Energy 26 January

Solar energy is the most abundant of all energy resources and can even be harnessed in cloudy weather.
Photo:Raphael Pouget/UNICEF

Clean energy: for all…
Energy lies at the core of a double challenge: leaving no one behind and protecting the Planet. And clean energy is crucial to its solution.

In a world grappling with climate change, clean energy plays a vital role in reducing emissions, and can also benefit communities lacking access to reliable power sources. Still today, 685 million people live in the dark – more than 80 per cent of them in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The connection between clean energy, socio-economic development, and environmental sustainability is crucial in addressing issues faced by vulnerable communities worldwide.

For populations without clean energy access, the lack of reliable power hinders education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, and many of these developing regions still rely heavily on polluting fossil fuels for their daily life, perpetuating poverty. If current trends continue, by 2030 around 1.8 billion people will still use unsafe, unhealthy and inefficient cooking systems, such as burning wood or dung.

Although this situation has generally been improving, the most recent figures show that the number of people without electricity actually increased by 10 million in 2022, as population growth outpaced progress. The world is not on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

… and for our planet
But adopting clean energy is integral to the fight against climate change, as well.

A large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the Sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, and gas) to generate electricity and heat.

The science is clear: to limit climate change, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable. Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.

At the same time, improving energy efficiency is key. Using less energy for the same output – through more efficient technologies in the transport, building, lighting, and appliances sectors for instance: saves money, cuts down on carbon pollution, and helps ensure universal access to sustainable energy for all.

Background

The International Day of Clean Energy on 26 January was declared by the General Assembly (resolution A/77/327) as a call to raise awareness and mobilize action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of people and the planet.

26 January is also the founding date of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a global intergovernmental agency established in 2009 to support countries in their energy transitions, serve as a platform for international cooperation, and provide data and analyses on clean energy technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment.

Did you know?
Coal, oil, and gas (fossil fuels) are responsible for nearly 90% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Scientists emphasize the need to cut emissions by almost half by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Fossil fuels still dominate global energy production, but renewable sources of energy, such as wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, now power about 29% of electricity worldwide.

Read more here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/clean-energy-d

UN DESA Voice January 2025: Milestone events to advance sustainable development

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, VOL 29, NO. 1 – JANUARY 2025

3 milestone moments in 2025 to shape our sustainable future

While we’ve just counted down to a new year, another clock continues to tick: for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. In 2025 – the 80th anniversary of the United Nations – UN DESA will continue accelerating progress by bringing the international community together, by building capacity on the ground and by providing essential data through our flagship publications. Here are some milestone moments to follow in 2025.

EXPERT VOICES

Behind the numbers of a new report on the global economy

On 9 January, UN DESA will release the 2025 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report, presenting the latest forecast for the global economy. What makes this edition different from other reports covering the global economy and what can we expect from it this year? We spoke with Katarzyna Rokosz and Zhenqian Huang – members of the WESP team – to find out.

UN DESA Voice December 2024: Building our digital future together

Building our digital future together

There is now little distinction between our offline and online lives. The Internet and digital technologies are so woven into the everyday fabric of societies that losing access—or trust—can feel like the ground shifting beneath us. Yet, 2.6 billion remain offline, left out of opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic growth.

Those who are online face growing threats to their privacy, security, and rights, while rapid changes driven by AI create uncertainty and unease about the future.

This December in Riyadh, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) convened by the UN Secretary-General will address these issues head-on. The aim? To build a digital ecosystem that works for everyone, everywhere, based on multistakeholder exchanges among diverse communities navigating digital transformation.

Questions like how digital tools can foster peace and sustainability, how we close the connectivity gap, how we mainstream human rights across the digital landscape, and how we ensure AI serves society—not exploits it—are on the agenda. Whether they are government ministers, legislators, youth activists or technical experts, participants come to the IGF as equals. The Forum will foster actionable policy recommendations and deliver impactful messages worldwide.

This year’s Forum comes at a pivotal moment, just months after the adoption of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), which envisions a safer, fairer digital future, and ahead of the WSIS+20 Review in 2025, which will set out new targets for digital development and governance. Both frameworks emphasize the same core idea: digital technologies should be people-centred and approached cooperatively.

As socioeconomic and digital trajectories become interlinked, the need for risk mitigation is clear. But so, too, is the need to tap into the vast ocean of digital possibilities that will help translate technological progress into progress for people and planet.

The IGF holds out promise that global governance and cooperation, harnessing digital solutions for the climate crisis, and combatting threats like misinformation and disinformation – just some of the topics that will be discussed in Riyadh – are all possible.

For more information: Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Expert Voices

Reflections from the SDG Pavilion at COP29

The SDG Pavilion organized by UN DESA on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference has become an annual stop for many interested in climate and SDG synergies. We spoke with two veterans of the past six SDG Pavilions—Ariel Alexovich, Sustainable Development Officer in UN DESA’s Office of the Under-Secretary-General, and Nadine Salame, Senior Programme Management Assistant in the Division for Sustainable Development Goals—about their recent experience at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Set the scene for us: What was the energy like at COP29 and the SDG Pavilion?

AA: “Truly, the energy was fantastic. People were very positive and seemed very happy to see us representing the SDGs with our colourful branding and full programme connecting the world’s climate work with its sustainable development work.

That said, the workday could be quite chaotic. Each day there were multiple sources demanding your attention at once. For instance, there’s the tech team you’ve just met and are trying to get up to speed, there are partners from the event currently on stage asking for a new microphone, there are people from the next event asking about their upcoming PowerPoint, all the while you’re taking photos, distributing headphones to the audience, and fielding hundreds of requests for free SDG pins—it’s a lot. Fortunately, we have each other to rely upon for support.”

There was a vibrant array of voices represented. Can you tell us about the diversity of perspectives and how they enriched conversations?

NS: “With more than 300 applications for about 50 slots, we were grateful that our partners saw the value in holding their events at the SDG Pavilion. Of course we have a good number of UN DESA-led events, but we open our stage to Member States, partners in the UN system and other stakeholders including youth groups and Indigenous organizations.

We especially enjoy working on the SDG Pavilion because we get to work with different teams across UN DESA. Over the years we’ve had events highlighting the special climate challenges facing small island developing States, forests, sustainable transport, climate finance and the climate impacts related to population growth, among others. This year, the special Forest Pavilion was hosted within the SDG Pavilion, making the conversations even more enriching, lively and diverse.”

What were some memorable moments that stood out to you?

NS: “Even though we prepare for the SDG Pavilion for months, a lot of the memorable things happen the day before COP starts, during the set-up. Every year we get to the venue and see firsthand what we’re working with. This year, we had a beautiful booth in a prime location next to UNFCCC and near the host country. However, we were missing a wall, some artwork and the label that actually said, “SDG Pavilion.” So, we do a lot of troubleshooting.

I will also remember Baku. It’s a beautiful city and the COP was very well organized in terms of reliable transport shuttles and very little security queues. We had some excellent meals in the city, too. “

AA: “For sure, I will remember the people we met, like our crew on the ground from India and Germany, and some of the SDG Pavilion visitors who traded pins with us, especially these three women from Uganda with whom I really made a connection.

Otherwise, some highlights were USG Li Junhua’s engagements in the Pavilion on the first day, and I enjoyed interviewing the Special Envoy for the Ocean, several Resident Coordinators, and explorer Bertrand Piccard in our social media space.”

Watch the events broadcast on UN DESA’s YouTube platform here.

A recap of events can also be obtained via the SDG Pavilion newsletter here.

Photo credit: UN DESA

Things You Need To Know

5 things to know about the leadership of persons with disabilities
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On 3 December, we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” The commemoration will highlight the strides made and the challenges ahead. Here are 5 things you should know about the leadership of persons with disabilities:

1. The leadership of persons with disabilities is based on the principle of “nothing about us without us”

This phrase highlights the crucial need for their participation, representation and inclusion. It emphasizes the importance of their active involvement in decision-making processes to influence the conditions affecting their lives, ensuring that policies and initiatives consider their viewpoints and priorities.

2. Over the years, persons with disabilities and organizations representing them have led important community-driven efforts

These initiatives aim not only to advocate for their rights and well-being but also to promote inclusive development. By using both specific and general approaches, they help improve universal access to essential services and resources. Recent global climate change conferences have demonstrated a growing advocacy for disability inclusion and the rights of persons with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, in climate action.

3. The global disability rights movement has achieved significant milestones, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and UN Security Council Resolution 2475

The CRPD is especially important because it incorporates development objectives for persons with disabilities into international human rights frameworks and highlights their leadership in creating this treaty. Resolution 2475 was the first instance where the Security Council focused on the protection and circumstances of persons with disabilities in peace and security situations, highlighting their crucial impact on shaping international policy.

4. The Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 offers opportunities to enhance leadership among people with disabilities.

The Summit aims to address social development gaps, revitalize the 2030 Agenda, and stress the importance of including persons with disabilities in achieving sustainable peace and development. This year, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Inclusive development for and with persons with disabilities”, calling upon Member States, the UN system and other partners to promote the participation and perspectives of persons with disabilities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and continue to advance disability inclusion across the pillars of the UN’s work.

5. Leadership will be front and center at the commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities

On 3 December, 2024, we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” The commemoration at UN Headquarters in New York will highlight the strides made and the challenges ahead, including upcoming key global milestones like the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025. By harnessing the leadership of persons with disabilities, we can advance towards a future that ensures sustainable peace and inclusive development for all.

For more information: International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Photo Credit: UNDP/Duško Miljanić

Capul Tidal Power Plant Project recognized by Energy Globe 2024

Capul Tidal Power Plant Project recognized by Energy Globe 2024

EnergiesPH’s 1 MW Tidal Power Plant Project in Capul has been recognized at the Energy Globe Award, selected from around 2,000 entries from 141 countries. This prestigious award highlights innovative projects addressing key sustainability challenges.

Although the project did not win a prize, it received commendations for its quality and potential to harness tidal energy, marking a significant advancement in renewable energy in Southeast Asia.

All submitted projects will be featured in a database promoting effective global solutions. The Energy Globe World Award ceremony in March will honor outstanding initiatives, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in environmental efforts. This recognition inspires ongoing commitment to creating a sustainable future.

UN DESA Voice November 2024: We must urgently act to advance social development

Social development in times of converging crises: A call for global action

Social development in times of converging crises: A call for global action
Global shocks and crises have become more intense, widespread and interlinked, creating consequential challenges to social development. Pandemics, violent conflicts and a spate of climate-related disasters have hit the most vulnerable people and societies the hardest.

For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the first global increase in extreme poverty in 20 years and contributed to growing inequalities between and within countries. While macroeconomic recoveries are under way, the setbacks to social development are lasting longer, especially in countries in special situations.

The recently launched World Social Report 2024 estimates that the shocks and crises of the last few years could result in a cumulative economic output loss of more than $50 trillion between 2020 and 2030, reflecting lost opportunities for investing in social development. The report finds that people in countries with strong social protection systems have fared better during recent crises. However, only half of the world has access to at least one social protection benefit. To increase coverage, the report calls for a human rights-based approach to social protection, prescribed by law, that can guarantee its continuity and predictability in times of crisis.

Yet, many developing countries lack the necessary fiscal space to achieve universal social protection. International support is needed to free up and mobilize resources, including through debt treatments and additional financial and technical support. The report suggests exploring debt swaps for SDG investments that could secure long term, resilient pathways for social development.

Global action is needed to reduce systemic risks and build universal resilience against these interlinked crises. This includes developing early warning systems, accelerating climate change mitigation, ensuring global financial stability and preventing pandemics and spillovers of violent conflict.

Building on the recent Pact for the Future, the World Social Report 2024 recognizes the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development and the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 as opportunities to commit to further actions to advance social development.

Access the full report here.

EXPERT VOICES

EVAdvocating for better data to measure sustainable development

This month, the United Nations will hold the fifth World Data Forum attracting 3,000 participants to Medellin, Colombia to discuss the latest progress in data and statistics to advance sustainable development. The Forum will champion four themes – innovation and inclusivity, data use and value, trust and protection and partnership and coordination across four days and over 100 different events. Ahead of this biennial event, UN DESA’s Ian Rutherford tells us more.

Advocating for better data to measure sustainable development
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What are the biggest data challenges that the Forum aims to tackle?

“Data are becoming more and more common in our lives. But oftentimes, they are not used effectively to benefit people, and the capacity to take advantage of the information they provide varies widely within different groups of society. The Forum brings together governments, academia and professional associations, civil society, the private sector and international and regional agencies to improve this situation. Within governments, the Forum is directed by National Statistical Offices and the data and statistical system they operate in as a key enabler of turning data into useful and actionable statistics for measuring sustainable development.”

How can the biennial Forum encourage continuous action on the whole range of data issues?

“The Forum’s programme gives a flavor of the wide range of activities being driven by different stakeholder groups. For example, two-thirds of the sessions in the programme are focused on the future of data and statistics covering issues related to youth, gender, climate and environment, digitalisation and modernization, capacity development, data literacy and data science including AI. The Forum is equally an opportunity to showcase the adoption and scaling up of new methods and sources including the expanded use of citizen generated data, geospatial, administrative data, household surveys, earth observation data, censuses, mobile phone and social media data with over 40 sessions in the programme. These activities are nourished by their appearance at the Forum and their work will continue beyond and perhaps into future Forums as they develop and evolve.”

What legacy do you hope the fifth Forum will leave?

“The Forum’s community has grown from 2,000 people who attended the first and second Forums in Cape Town and Dubai, to an active list of over 20,000 interested stakeholders. The Forum in Medellin is likely to be the biggest in-person gathering yet with 3,000 people in attendance. This Forum will be an opportunity to launch a renewed global action plan for sustainable development data to serve the remainder of the 2030 Agenda. The plan introduces twelve new priorities, and these priorities are complemented with new and stretching actions and matching commitments.

The Forum will also continue to be a rallying point to advocate for high-quality, timely, open, and inclusive data to accelerate progress on the SDGs and to address the multiple crises that threaten our world. It will support countries, especially those in fragile contexts, to advocate for strengthening their own data and statistical systems, improving data quality, and expanding data coverage to leave no one behind.”

For more information: UN World Data Forum

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

4 things you should know about the SDG Pavilion at COP29

Showing how climate action and sustainable development support one another is critical to achieving the shared ambitions of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2018, the SDG Pavilion organized by UN DESA at the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP) has grown into a premiere showcase for these connections. Here are four things to know about this year’s SDG Pavilion:

1. All eyes are on Baku, Azerbaijan, host of this year’s COP

More than 30,000 policymakers, scientists, representatives of civil society organizations and young people are expected to attend COP29 in the Azerbaijan capital, Baku, nestled on the Caspian Sea, from 11 to 22 November. COP29 is being called “the finance COP” because climate finance will be a central theme, as trillions of dollars are needed to help countries drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change.

2. Forests will be in focus at the SDG Pavilion

Issues such as forest data, forest-based bioeconomies and legal frameworks for forests will be highlighted through the special Forest Pavilion at the SDG Pavilion. Each day will feature dedicated discussions about ways to amplify investment in forests in order to halt and reverse deforestation and accelerate collective action to achieve the Global Forest Goals.

3. The SDG Pavilion will feature 50+ other events related to energy, the ocean, transportation, gender equality and more

Some of the high-level speakers expected to participate include UN DESA Head Li Junhua, UN Forum on Forests Director Juliette Biao, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson, and explorer and innovator Bertrand Piccard.

4. You can watch all the SDG Pavilion action online

Check out the events live from Baku on UN DESA’s YouTube channel—or watch the recordings on your schedule—and be sure to follow UN DESA’s social media accounts for updates, too.

For more information, including the full programmes, please visit the website for the SDG Pavilion at COP29 and the UN Forum on Forests website.