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1. ADB Hosts Forum to Develop Strategies to Cope With Climate Change
Government leaders, policymakers, and climate change experts from around the world gathered in the Philippines for a high-level dialogue and a series of technical meetings aimed at helping Asia-Pacific countries move toward low-carbon and climate-resilient development paths. Hosted by ADB, the Climate and Clean Energy Week consisted of two events. The High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific, held 16-17 June, brought together policy makers to discuss the path forward for the Asia-Pacific region in the face of climate change. The dialogue was followed by the 4th Asia Clean Energy Forum 2009, from 17-19 June, which served as a platform for exchanging experiences and forging new partnerships to advance clean energy solutions in the region.
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2. New Partnership Aims to Expand Access to Modern Energy to 100 Million People
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched an Energy for All Partnership that aims to provide access to modern energy to an additional 100 million people in the Asia-Pacific region by 2015. It's estimated that more than 1.5 million people, mostly women and children, die every year because of the indoor air pollution from the use of biomass fuel. The Energy for All Partnership will emphasize low cost, environmentally friendly technologies and innovative financing mechanisms that will enable even the poorest households to gain access to energy. The Energy for All Partnership is guided by a steering committee that brings together partners from business, governments, NGOs, and international organizations.
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3. ADB Finances Wind Farms to Help Cut PRC Greenhouse Gas Emissions
ADB will partly finance a $73 million wind farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to support the People's Republic of China's efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to promote private investment in renewable energy. It will be the first private-sector wind farm to be financed by ADB in the PRC. In 2008, the PRC generated 12 GW from wind power. The government aims to boost that to 100 GW per year by 2020. The Chifeng project will produce about 133 gigawatt-hours (GWh) a year. It should also generate carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism that allows buyers in industrialized countries with greenhouse gas reduction commitments to purchase carbon credits from developing countries, such as PRC, to meet those commitments.
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4. ADB, Japan Support New Livelihood Opportunities For India’s Rural Poor
Sharecroppers, women and other marginal groups living in one of India’s poorest states will receive new employment and income opportunities under an ADB, Government of Japan-funded project. The project will fund capacity building and skills programs that support the development of new sustainable livelihood and income opportunities in areas like agro-processing, animal husbandry, pisciculture (fish farming), and high value crop production. It will also conduct training and awareness activities for water user groups with the aim of increasing the number of women representatives, and others from marginal groups like sharecroppers and tribal people.
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5. Policy Forum on Sustainably Networking Government & Civil Society in HIV/AIDS Prevention
Country Director Robert Wihtol opened ADB's forum, supported by ADB regional technical assistance, in which presenters shared policy recommendations, findings, and pilot test results in Yunnan and Xinjiang provinces of the People's Republic of China. Government officials, representatives from donor representatives and pilot test sites, consultants, and NGOs attended. Read the opening remarks by ADB's Country Director.
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6. Workshop on CAREC regional single window development
Representatives from customs, government trade agencies in the private sector from CAREC countries, and World Customs Organization, GTZ, and USAID discussed findings of case studies and roadmaps for single window development that could streamline transport and customs procedures and enhance countries' competitiveness. The workshop by ADB and International Enterprise Singapore was held in Singapore through 17 July.
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7. Board group visits Marshall Islands and Palau
Members of the ADB Board of Directors visited the Marshall Islands on 4-6 July and met with President Litokwa Tomeing, Finance Minister Jack Ading, other cabinet members, and civil society. The group then went to Palau on 8-10 July to meet with President Johnson Toribiong, and members of the Government and civil society. The meetings focused on delivery of programs, the impact of the global crisis, and partnership agreements. See photos.
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8. SNV Delegation Visits ADB
On 22-23 June, a delegation from SNV Netherlands Development Organization visited the ADB to discuss possible cooperation between the two organizations on Inclusive Business. SNV Netherlands Development Organization* is a Netherlands based international NGO that delivers capacity development advisory services to over 2,000 clients in 32 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Balkans.
Inclusive Business is a profitable and sustainable entrepreneurial initiative that seeks to contribute to poverty reduction by including lower income communities within the value chains of large and medium corporations as employees, suppliers, consumers or distributors, in a win-win situation. SNV uses the Inclusive Business approach to identify opportunities for job creation, income earning and access to basic services for the poor population excluded from economic process and to create new markets for private sector companies. Discussions were very fruitful and the two parties agreed that they would further explore cooperation opportunities for Inclusive Growth.
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9. ADB Improving Its Development Effectiveness, Says Report
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) operations have delivered tangible benefits to the lives of millions of people in Asia and the Pacific over the past four years, while there are several areas needing further improvement at both the project level and within the organization itself, says a new development effectiveness report.
The 2008 Development Effectiveness Review is the second corporate performance study to be conducted by ADB. ADB is the first multilateral development bank to adopt a comprehensive results system for measuring its performance at the corporate level and to provide clear accountability to stakeholders. The report shows that ADB’s completed operations, evaluated in 2008, delivered significant development gains particularly in the energy, transport and education sectors. The report further notes that the design quality of new operations has improved.
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10. ADB Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Whistleblower Policy
On 1 May ADB kicked off a 90-day period for public comment on proposed improvements to its protections for those who report integrity violations and misconduct related to ADB or ADB-financed projects. The draft "Whistleblower and Witness Protection" provisions, posted on ADB's website, consolidate and extend ADB's existing protections and were drawn up after extensive consultation within the ADB and following recommendations from outside experts and ADB staff. The public is invited to comment on the draft from 1 May to 29 July 2009.
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11. Climate Investment Fund Trust Fund Committees Voting Open*
Voting is now open for the selection of candidates to serve as civil society observers for the Climate Investment Fund Trust Fund Committees — the Clean Technology Fund, the Strategic Climate Fund, and the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience. These groups decide how funds for climate change mitigation and adaptation projects will be allocated.
To cast your vote, please visit the RESOLVE website.* We request that organizations limit themselves to one vote per organization. Please select one region and vote only for candidates in your region. To make informed choices and ensure best results, please review the “Criteria for Civil Society Observers” at www.resolv.org/cif/application.*
Voting will remain open between July 20th – July 31st, 2009 at 5:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time. Please cast your vote during this timeframe.
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New Publications
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Powering the Poor: Projects to increase access to clean energy for all
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to helping achieve access to energy for all people in the region. The stories in this publication—told through villagers and those helping them on the ground—portray resourceful ways of giving poor and remote communities access to clean and renewable energy. The case studies look at different types of energy projects—solar, micro hydro and biogas—as well as innovative approaches in implementing and financing projects.
- Building a Sustainable Energy Future: The Greater Mekong Subregion
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) holds huge promise for Asia. Access to energy services is critical in sustaining the pace of development achieved so far and in securing further prosperity for the future. The multitude of challenges-from volatile global energy prices, increasing sustainability pressures, and widespread energy poverty within the GMS-requires a strategic approach in developing the subregion's energy sector. The results of a formal energy modeling exercise make a strong case for pursuing an integrated regional energy strategy. This book synthesizes the outputs of the consultative process undertaken by the Asian Development Bank's technical assistance to develop a GMS energy strategy, and proposes concrete actions for a cleaner, brighter energy future for the GMS.
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Opportunities
ADB engages individual consultants and consulting entities (firms, universities, NGOs, etc.) for a wide range of assignments. For example, consulting entities are retained for pre-investment, sector, or other studies, detailed design, contract preparation, and project supervision. Individual consultants, whether hired directly or through consulting entities, provide expert advice and help the ADB to prepare studies, appraisals, and reports. Visit ADB's consulting services page to view current opportunities or to register in ADB's database.
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Training, Conferences and Workshops
A listing in this section does not imply ADB endorsement or availability of financing for participants. All events take place in 2009.
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Making Governance Gender Responsive, 23-30 July, Manila, Philippines. Contact: Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics; e-mail: capwip@capwip.org; tel: +63 2 851 4954; website: www.capwip.org/training/mggr.htm.
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Climate and Disaster Governance Bursaries - Can you contribute to building understanding of the role of governance in climate change adaptation and reducing risk to disasters? The CDG Program offers research bursaries of up to $1,000 to developing country researchers. The bursaries support research into how different governance arrangements at the national and local level can best reduce risks from climate related disasters. The deadline for the current round of applications is 31st July.
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International Course on Monitoring and Evaluation, 14 September-3 October, Cavite, Philippines. Contact: IIRR; e-mail: Education.Training@iirr.org; tel: +63 46 414 24176, local 402; website: www.iirr.org.
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e-Notification
E-notification is a useful tool for NGOs who want to keep informed of news about ADB's work in a specific country, sector, policy, or on a project. Subscribe to ADB's free e-mail notices. Select the items you're interested in and your delivery preference. We will e-mail you when we post those items.
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