AIGCC Launches Initiatives for Deforestation and Energy Transition

The Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC) will launch two new working groups to meet growing investor interest in deforestation and energy transition.

The new Forest & Land Use, and Energy Transition groups will bring AIGCC’s total number of working groups to six. The other four existing working groups are: Engagement and Policy, Physical Risk and Resilience, Paris Aligned Investment, and Japan Working Group (facilitated in Japanese).

Deforestation drives significant carbon emissions and biodiversity loss. The AIGCC Forest & Land Use Working Group will build investors’ capacity to understand and manage the emissions of soft commodity-driven deforestation.

The Energy Transition Working Group will respond to international and regional developments and topics that come up on energy transition, as well as support investors’ internal policy development on energy transition.

The working group will establish investor expectations surrounding early phase-out of coal and explore potential roles of renewables.

Following COP27, several emerging markets in Asia announced just energy transition plans to low carbon with the support of G20 economies. The AIGCC Energy Transition working group will examine the role of emerging markets in the energy transition movement.

Rebecca Mikula-Wright, CEO, AIGCC said: “Asia is home to some of the largest emerging markets globally. Countries in this region are required to balance development goals, climate transition plans, while also bearing the brunt of the physical impacts of climate change. Asian perspectives should continue to form one of the foundations in global climate action.”

Monica Bae, Director, Investor Practice, AIGCC said: “We expanded our investor practice program to meet investors’ interest in two of the highest emitting sectors: energy and forestry and land use. There are unprecedented opportunities in Asia to accelerate financing energy transition and renewables.”

“Deforestation and land use change is another key area where investors are realising the increased need in managing emissions and the biggest driver of biodiversity loss due to habitat destruction.”

The Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC) is an initiative to create awareness and encourage action among Asia’s asset owners and financial institutions about the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and low-carbon investing.

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