Margaret McKay, Deputy Director, Energy and Environmental Management, was in Ukraine for the launch of the Municipal Heating Reform (MHR) project. This USAID funded project will work with the Government of Ukraine to improve the municipal heating sector.

The launch event on May 18th was attended by Ambassador William B Taylor and Oleksiy Kucherenko, Minister of Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine. Coverage of the event is available from USAID/Ukraine here. Ukranian television also ran a segment about the launch of the project which can be viewed here.

IRG will be working in Pakistan to implement the Energy Efficiency and Capacity Building Project recently announced by the United States Government and the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Pakistan. IRG’s Rick Whitaker, Director of Energy & Environmental Management explains:

“By coordinating energy efficiency measures, the EEC project will greatly improve Pakistan’s energy use. We are thrilled to be working with USAID on this project.”

Read the full press release here.

Nearly one-half of all low-income countries have experienced a major conflict since 1980. While violent conflict is a major constraint to development, well-managed post-conflict reconstruction efforts can help develop new social, political and economic systems that better serve the needs of changing societies.

Download the full .pdf below

Coal power is an important part of many national energy policies, but its use has negative environmental impacts. Participants in an August ECO-Asia workshop considered how to meet future energy demands while moving towards cleaner and more efficient technologies. Nearly 120 energy experts, utility managers, project financiers, and independent power producers from across the Asia-Pacific region convened in Ha Long City, Vietnam, to exchange best practices and promote regional cooperation. Coverage of the workshop is available on Mining Companies Exploration and Mining Investment News, a blog focused on mining in Asia. News of the conference also appeared in Viet Nam News here.

ECO-Asia Clean Development & Climate Change program is a regional program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that promotes improved access to clean water and sanitation; sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity conservation; improved tsunami response and reconstruction; and investment in clean energy technologies. The conference was co-sponsored by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the ASEAN forum on Coal (AFOC), the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (VINACOMIN). Participants discussed lessons learned and developed a set of guidelines for policy action that will be submitted for consideration by AFOC and APEC.