The International Energy Agency (IEA) is hosting its Southeast Asia Energy Efficiency Policy Training Week in Hanoi from 1 to 4 December. The event is co-hosted by Viet Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and represents a significant milestone in the IEA’s efforts to promote energy efficiency across Southeast Asia. Nearly 150 energy efficiency practitioners and policymakers from 12 countries have come together in Hanoi to share knowledge and experiences on how stronger efficiency measures can help meet the region’s rapidly growing energy demand.
Brian Motherway, Head of the IEA’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transitions, said that the Hanoi training demonstrates the growing momentum across Southeast Asia to make energy efficiency a central part of development. He emphasized that by exchanging practical experiences and proven policy approaches, countries in the region are showing that energy efficiency is not only the “first fuel” but also one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to enhance energy security and support sustainable economic growth.
Sue-Ern Tan, Head of the IEA’s Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore, noted that energy efficiency measures have already delivered substantial benefits across Southeast Asia. She stressed that maintaining a focus on efficiency is essential for ensuring that countries have the energy needed to drive economic growth, improve living standards, and reduce emissions.
Dang Hai Dung, Deputy Director General of Viet Nam’s Agency for Innovation, Green Transition and Industry Promotion within the Ministry of Industry and Trade, highlighted that energy conservation is the foundation for sustainable economic growth, especially as energy demand rises rapidly. He added that improving energy efficiency is key to ensuring energy security, lowering production costs, and protecting the environment.
This is the 22nd edition of the IEA’s Energy Efficiency Policy Training Week and the first time the program has been hosted in Viet Nam. The training weeks are part of the IEA’s Energy Efficiency in Emerging Economies Programme and are funded through the Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme. Over the past ten years, the Energy Efficiency Policy Training Weeks have trained more than 3,000 policymakers from over 130 countries. These programs have contributed to the adoption of more than 1,000 energy efficiency policies worldwide and aim to build strong regional and global communities of policymakers who can advance more ambitious national energy efficiency strategies.
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