-    H.E. Ros Salin, Secretary of State, the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction 
-    H.E. Derek Yip, Australian Ambassador to Cambodia 
-    Mr. Natharoun Ngo Son, EnergyLab Country Director 
-    Development Partners, UN colleagues, NGOs/CSOs, and private sector esteemed representatives
-    Friends from the media. 
 

Choum Reap Sour! 

The Clean Energy Week has passed in a blink! 

I am glad to be here with you to represent UNDP in celebrating the success of the Clean Energy Week 2024 and toast this year’s Award Winners. Thank you, Ambassador Derek Yip of Australia, for hosting us tonight for the closure of the Clean Energy Week 2024. Kudos to you Natharoun and to the Energy Lab team, and all the partners that contributed to this success.

This week has been remarkable. It has brought policy makers, development partners, private sector representatives, and industry experts together to discuss and share best practices, emerging technologies, and insights for accelerating Cambodia’s energy transition. 

The discussions this year were diverse and future focused. The panel discussion and presentations on Renewable Energy Certificates, for example, started an interesting and wider dialogue on the implementation of similar initiatives in other ASEAN countries, strengthening the ecosystem and the opportunities for Cambodia to leverage financing for its green energy transition. The session on financing the green transition reconfirmed that public financing alone will not be sufficient. It will require a whole of society approach with government, private sector and civil society acting together to unlock the benefits of innovative and blended financing for Cambodia to achieve its ambitions. 

Excellencies, ladies, and gentlemen,

Embracing clean energy is not just an ideological position. It is a driver for energy security, trade dividends, and green job creation, access to green financing, and reducing pollution. Development partners play a crucial role in supporting Cambodia’s clean energy ambitions and transforming them into reality. 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has made a bold pledge to work with partners to provide access to clean and affordable energy to five hundred million additional people globally by 2025. This translates in Cambodia as accelerating last-mile access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy for all in isolated and insular communities, advancing electric mobility and energy efficiency, and unlocking green finance. 

As one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, embracing clean energy is also an opportunity to decouple Cambodia's growth from carbon emissions and mitigate the risk of the projected 10 percent loss in GDP by 2050 caused by climate change impacts. 

 In addition to our ongoing support for the inclusion of energy efficiency design guidelines in the building code, developing a national roadmap for Low-Carbon and Climate-Resilient Buildings and Construction in Cambodia Vision 2050, and the establishment of empanelment and rating of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) to unlock business opportunities in energy-friendly building designs, and employment for energy managers and energy auditors, among others, we have mobilized seed funding to accelerate energy efficiency in the building sector. The project will be implemented with the UN Capital Development Fund to strengthen the ecosystem and corresponding regulatory framework, and partner with financial Institutions to strengthen the offer of green financing instruments. This initiative complements the newly launched Sustainable Green Finance Facility developed with the Cambodia Credit Guarantee Corporation for unlocking and de-risking private investments in clean energy, and energy efficiency. 

The shift from funding to financing SDG7 and creating an enabling environment for encouraging private ventures, both small and large, is a priority as the Kingdom is gearing itself for LDC graduation. 

Excellencies, ladies, and gentlemen,

The Clean Energy Week has established itself as an important platform for showcasing clean energy solutions and fostering dialogue among practitioners, the private sector, policymakers, and academia. UNDP is proud to be a Founding Sponsor since its inception in 2018. 

But… While we celebrate success, we should remember that opportunities do not happen, they are created! So, allow me to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all our partners, and particularly to the European Union, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom who joined forces with UNDP to promote the climate and clean energy agendas. 

Som Orkun!