World Forum on Energy Regulation 2018 | Aida Sitdikova (EBRD)

In the framework of the 7th World Forum on Energy Regulation (WFER), ICER Women in Energy and FSR teamed up to ‘give a voice’ to women professionals actively contributing to the event.

Aida Sitdikova is EBRD Director for Energy and Natural Resources for Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia. In this podcast, Aida explains the ‘energy transition’ in the Eurasian and Caucasus context. EBRD is committed to supporting a regional shift towards affordable, secure, reliable and sustainable energy despite the specific geopolitical context and constraints. However, fossil fuels are still largely used, have a strong political impact and represent large employment sectors for local populations. Therefore, transition in these countries will probably first move from coal to gas and only at a later stage to renewables. An example of this slow but steady transition is Kazakhstan.

Financing the transition is also challenging: fossil fuels’ strong legacy, lack of infrastructure, affordability and poor education are only a few of the main obstacles. There is a clear absence of local capital markets for long-term investments making it crucial for governments to adopt policies that attract investments and incentivize further developments in the energy sector. In this regard, EBRD is fully active, trying to attract actors from outside the region, provide expertise and advice, and monitor the implementation of the national policies.

Since 2013, EBRD has not financed any new coal-fired power plant but rather promoted the installation or upgrade of renewable power plants and the development of transmission and distribution grids. Attention is devoted to natural gas too, given its role as a transition fuel necessary for coal replacement.

As concluding remark, Ms Sitdikova stresses the importance for institutions like EBRD to adopt and promote inclusive and gender balance policies, both within and outside the institutions. Opening job opportunities to women in the energy sector and granting them equal conditions is fundamental for the development of countries like those in Central Asia.

Check out more podcasts like this one and learn more about the Lights on Women Initiative here: medium.com/lights-on-women/