Conference: Improving Energy Access through Climate Finance (26-28 MARCH 2013, UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE)

PICKING THE WINNERS

There is a major global shift underway to create sustainable economies by means of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable development. One of the biggest challenges of this so-called energy transition is to ensure universal access to modern, clean and affordable energy services to population groups that lack them. It is estimated that 1.3 billion people—one in five globally—do not have electricity to light their homes or conduct business and that 2.7 billion people – around 40% of the global population –still rely on the traditional biomass fuels for cooking, heating and lighting. It is estimated that to achieve universal access to modern energy services by 2030 an annual investment of at least $50 billion will be required. One potential source of finance is money ear-marked for the mitigation of climate change. To what extent have these funds resulted in improved energy access, and under what conditions has this occurred? Can we build on these experiences? How ‘green’ is the energy? Of the many sources of climate finance, which show the most potential for combating energy poverty while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Increasingly the private sector, in particularly multinational companies, is being asked to play a role in increasing energy access while at the same time providing innovative solutions to climate change. Is it possible to reconcile these demands within a business model? Is it possible for the private sector to play a leading role in the energy access and climate change? Does the private sector want this role?

This is not a problem only for developing countries. Developed countries face the combined challenge and opportunity of transforming existing infrastructure particularly to make it greener, while developing countries have the opportunity to adopt cleaner, more efficient technology from the start. These objectives reinforce each other in many instances, creating opportunities to maximize development benefits and help stabilize climate change.

As new streams on climate finance are emerging the conference aims

(i)	to evaluate the possibilities to deliver on the ground improve energy access and to stimulate the energy transition in all economies in an effective manner;

(ii)	to reach a realistic assessment of the extent to which climate finance could be used. (e.g. what can we expect from the Green Climate Fund?); and

(iii)

to evaluate the role of the private sector in energy access and climate change.

The conference will address a number of themes with special attention given to Africa, since this is where the majority of people live without access to electricity and clean cooking fuels. Sessions on energy access in Africa will be organised together with the African Studies Centre Leiden.

Confirmed key note speakers:

Professor Joan Martinez Alier, Autonomous University of Barcelona

Sam Bickersteth, Chief Executive, Climate and Development Knowledge Network

Dr Rose Kutin-Mensah, ABANTU for Development/ENERGIA

Emmanuel Akom (UNEP Risoe Centre)

The conference is organised in partnership with :

	UNEP Risoe (Denmark)

	Energia (the international network on gender and sustainable energy)

	European Association of Development and Training Institutes (EADI) Gender and Development Working Group

	Green Energy Initiative/Institute for Governance Studies, University of Twente

More information on this website or contact Joy Clancy.