Asia and the Pacific is the world’s primary region for investment in low-carbon transition technologies. Despite recent growth trends, however, investment in clean energy still falls short of the level needed to meet global carbon emission reduction targets and fight climate change.

In this podcast, ADBI’s Dina Azhgaliyeva and John Beirne, and Ranjeeta Mishra from the Reserve Bank of India explain the effect of government renewable energy policies on private investment, drawing upon developments in Asia and the Pacific. They also discuss possible next steps for stimulating private investment in renewable energy.

The discussion draws upon their Climate Policy Journal article, "What Matters for Private Investment in Renewable Energy?"

Transcript: https://adbi.me/3zWgujJ

Indonesia’s Group of 20 (G20) presidency in 2022 marks the start of three successive years in which the annual forum of the world’s largest economies will be hosted by developing countries, to be followed by India in 2023 and Brazil in 2024.

In this podcast, Pramod Bhasin, Chair of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), discusses India’s G20 presidency countdown and policy imperatives. He also describes the outlook for Indonesia, India, and Brazil’s G20 presidencies and their potential significance for the global economy.

Read the transcript: https://adbi.me/3d3Kp1O

The Think7, or T7, is the think tank engagement group of the Group of 7 (G7) launched under Germany’s 2022 G7 presidency.

In this podcast, ADBI Dean Tetsushi Sonobe, Co-Chair of the T7 Task Force on Sustainable Economic Recovery, and ADBI’s John Beirne and Dina Azhgaliyeva discuss the role and future of the T7. This includes its capacity to support partnership between the G7 and emerging economies in Asia and the Pacific, and globally, and the implications for sustainable development.

Read the transcript: https://adbi.me/3nsdqGd

Benjamin Diokno started his appointment as Governor of Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, or BSP, in March 2019. He has spent much of his term as head of the Philippine central bank guiding the country’s economy through the COVID-19 crisis.

In this podcast, Governor Diokno discusses the Philippines’ post-pandemic recovery, which he says is well underway and proceeding faster than expected. Designated as the next Finance Secretary of the Philippines, he also describes next steps to sustain the economy’s momentum in the face of new challenges.

The discussion draws upon his ADBI Featured Speaker Webinar on the Macroeconomy, Fintech, and Sustainable Recovery amid New Uncertainties.

Read the transcript: https://adbi.me/3mZNCkm

In this podcast, Vegard Skirbekk of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and Columbia University describes a new measure of aging burden that takes into account age-related health – the health adjusted dependency ratio. Skirbekk explains how this indicator overturns common assumptions about the population aging burden and its impacts across countries reflected in the traditional old-age dependency ratio. He also describes the policy significance, especially in countries with young but rapidly aging populations, including those in developing Asia.

Read the transcript: https://adbi.me/3LuupRF

In this episode of Asia’s Developing Future, Keio University professor Sayuri Shirai, a former Bank of Japan Policy Board member and ADBI visiting fellow from 2016 to 2020, explains the role of developing Asia’s central banks in reviving economic growth while dealing with volatile capital outflows.

She provides historical perspective and addresses shifts stemming from increasing interest rates and climate change risk. She also explains ways to blend risk to attract more private investment for sustainable energy and infrastructure development in the region.

Read the transcript: https://adbi.me/36PMHPh

In 2022, the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) is observing the 25th anniversary of its founding as the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Tokyo-based think tank under the theme Toward Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development in Asia and the Pacific.

In this episode of Asia’s Developing Future, Keio University professor Naoyuki Yoshino, ADBI Dean from 2014-2020 and a longtime finance official for the Government of Japan, discusses ways to effectively translate innovative policy research into government action. He draws upon his experience as chair of the Group of 20’s think tank engagement group, the Think20 (T20), during Japan’s 2019 G20 presidency. He goes on to explain how policy researchers can leverage their work to boost economic recovery in Asia and the Pacific.

Read the transcript: https://adbi.me/3vruXSl

Research has shown that when more women work, economies grow. Women’s economic empowerment also boosts productivity, income equality, and development outcomes. Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic has cast a cloud over the economic outlook for women.

In this podcast, ADBI Capacity Building and Training Economist Pitchaya Sirivunnabood describes the impacts of COVID-19 on women in the economy and policy next steps in Asia, including the importance of addressing gender gaps in digital literacy, social investment, and regulation.

The discussion draws upon her recommendations presented to policy makers from the region during a recent Healthy Women, Healthy Economies conference organized by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC.

Read the transcript

https://adbi.me/3wRP26K

In 2022, the Asian Development Bank Institute is observing the 25th anniversary of its founding as the Asian Development Bank’s Tokyo-based think tank under the theme Toward Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development in Asia and the Pacific.

In this episode of Asia’s Developing Future, the Australian National University’s Peter McCawley, ADBI Dean from 2003-2007, discusses developing Asia and the Pacific’s policy imperatives in the face of transformational change and new risks and how these factors drove ADBI’s creation. He also explains the importance of ensuring regional peace and stability for effective physical and human development and how think tanks can address this urgent need.

Read the transcript: https://adbi.me/3JCrcja

The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation member countries, also known as the CAREC region, extends from Azerbaijan to the People’s Republic of China, and includes some of the world’s most important producers of energy and natural resources, and emerging trade routes. So how seriously has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the region’s economies and what does the future hold in store?

In this podcast, ADBI’s Dina Azhgaliyeva and Kamalbek Karymshakov of the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University describe the heavy impact of COVID-19 on household incomes across Central and West Asia and factors disrupting the ability of businesses in the region to adapt successfully to the COVID-19 outbreak. They also share their research insights on recovery policy options and the road ahead in CAREC countries.

The discussion draws upon a joint ADBI – CAREC Institute forthcoming edited book, COVID-19 and Economic Recovery Potential in the CAREC Region.

Read the transcript

adbi.me/3hBb053