Low Emissions Asian Development (LEAD) Program CONTRACT STATUS REPORT FY 2012 Quarter 3: April 2012 - June 2012

The program began in 2012 with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA). The program's primary objective is to support low-emission development in the region by promoting the use of clean energy, reducing deforestation, and improving energy efficiency. In the third quarter of 2012, the LEAD team completed several key activities and deliverables. The team conducted in-country consultations in the Philippines and Vietnam, where they met with government officials, donors, and private sector representatives to discuss the program's objectives and potential areas of engagement. The team also submitted a revised Task 1 report, which incorporated findings from the consultations, to RDMA on May 31, 2012. Under Task 2, the LEAD team co-organized a workshop on improving greenhouse gas inventories in Asia with the USAID/Philippines CEnergy Project. The workshop, which took place on June 4, 2012, in Manila, brought together over 100 representatives from national governments, research institutes, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to discuss experiences in developing national, city, and enterprise-level inventories. The workshop focused on the use of inventories to support climate change and low-emission policy and decision-making. Under Task 6, the LEAD team supported a session on low-emission development strategies (LEDS) at the Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) on June 6, 2012. The session, which was chaired by the LEAD Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), featured presentations from speakers representing Thailand, China, Vietnam, and the Republic of Korea. The discussion focused on the impact of national-level policies and frameworks and business-driven green growth initiatives on LEDS in high- and low-emissions countries. The LEAD Program also plays an integrator role by coordinating closely with relevant US Government agencies active in the Asia region. In the third quarter, the program conducted individual meetings with USG agencies in Washington, D.C. and in Bangkok, including the USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment (E3), the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the USDA/FS, and the USAID-supported AILEG program. Additionally, the program staff participated in a LEDS Coordination Meeting on May 18, hosted by RDMA. The LEAD Program's implementation activities are ongoing, with several tasks and deliverables still in progress. The program's GHG emissions inventory and mitigation plan are not yet completed, and the LEAD Program website was submitted on June 30, 2012. The program's work plan and performance management plan were also revised and submitted to RDMA on June 30, 2012.