Enviro News Asia, Vientiane — Lao PDR is preparing to launch a new climate technopreneurship programme aimed at accelerating green business development, attracting climate investment, and supporting the country’s transition toward a low-carbon economy.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE), the Korea Development Bank (KDB), and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) held a technical meeting on July 14 to prepare for the launch of the “Collaborative R&DB Programme for Promoting the Innovation of Climate Technopreneurship in Lao PDR.”
The meeting brought together representatives from government agencies, financial institutions, the private sector, development partners, and climate technology companies to present the programme’s objectives, implementation strategy, and planned activities.
According to the organizers, Lao PDR remains highly vulnerable to climate change, with increasing floods, droughts, and rising temperatures affecting agriculture, water resources, public health, and livelihoods. Between 2000 and 2024, climate-related disasters affected more than four million people and caused economic losses exceeding USD 600 million, highlighting the need for greater investment in climate innovation.
Funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the programme addresses both climate mitigation and adaptation. KDB serves as the accredited entity overseeing the initiative, while GGGI implements the programme in partnership with NH Investment & Securities (NHIS) and NH Absolute Return Partners (NH ARP) across Lao PDR, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Viet Nam.
In Lao PDR, the programme will support climate technology entrepreneurs through business acceleration, matchmaking between local and international companies, policy advisory services, and capacity building. Priority sectors include climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, solid waste management, and other climate technologies aligned with the country’s development goals.
Eugina Kim, Primary Lead Climate Negotiator at KDB, said the programme is designed to channel climate finance into the entrepreneurial ecosystem while strengthening investment opportunities for climate technology enterprises that contribute to both emissions reduction and climate adaptation.
GGGI Lao PDR Country Representative Dagmar Zwebe said the initiative seeks not only to support individual businesses but also to build a stronger and more inclusive ecosystem for climate innovation. She reaffirmed GGGI’s commitment to supporting the Lao government in advancing green growth, mobilizing climate finance, and expanding practical climate solutions.
Participants also discussed the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and explored ways to strengthen collaboration among government agencies, investors, business accelerators, and climate technology companies to develop more investment-ready climate solutions.
The meeting concluded with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to implementing the programme and creating an enabling environment for climate technopreneurship and green investment in Lao PDR. (*)
