The expansion of coal power conflicts with global climate change mitigation goals. Pressure has mounted in recent years not only on the builders and operators of coal-powered plants, but also on those that finance such endeavors. The three remaining public financiers of overseas coal projects are all in Asia: China, Japan, and South Korea. These three governments have now made commitments to phase out their overseas lending for coal. Why have they chosen to do so, and how will this affect the energy futures in countries that have historically relied on this finance?

Speakers:
• Toshiyuki Sakamoto, Board Member, Director
The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan or IEEJ
• Michael Davidson, Assistant Professor, GPS and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCSD
• Ulrike Schaede, Professor and Director of the Japan Forum for Innovation and Technology, GPS UC San Diego