The region has great potential to improve its energy efficiency, but more political will is still needed.
Two tools developed with Euroclima+ for energy efficiency analysis were presented.
Tuesday 9 November 2021. The Side Event "Energy efficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean for climate change adaptation and mitigation in the framework of the Paris Agreement" organised by the EUROCLIMA+ programme, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the French Agency for Development (AFD) was successfully held at COP26 in Glasgow.
During the event held on Thursday 4 November - which was broadcast virtually on the programme's YouTube channel - there was an exchange of experiences and opinions on how to approach energy efficiency policies, plans, programmes and projects for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Various energy efficiency experts from the region took part in the dialogue, including the Latin American Energy Organisation (OLADE), the Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the National Energy Directorate of Uruguay, and the National Commission for Efficient Energy Use of Mexico (CONUEE).
The session began with the participation of the Executive Secretary of OLADE, Alfonso Blanco, who shared his perspective on energy efficiency in the region, especially the current needs in public policies "It is necessary to develop regulatory frameworks that tend to break down barriers and create mechanisms for a market for energy efficiency goods and services [...] Plan for the medium and long term, including the inter-institutional link not only with other institutions, but with private actors and civil society," said the secretary.
OLADE also presented the work being carried out through EUROCLIMA+ with the Useful Energy Balance (BEU), based on the experiences of Paraguay, Panama, and Ecuador for the industrial, residential, transport and commercial sectors. "The Useful Energy Balance allows us a higher level of knowledge on energy efficiency through an analysis at sub-sector level, which is fundamental for the definition of public policies", said Medardo Cadena, Director of Studies, Projects and Information of OLADE.
For their part, Didier Bosseboeuf and Laura Sudries from ADEME shared their experiences in the elaboration of the Energy Efficiency Information Base (BIEE), which analyses the actions being taken by 16 countries in the region for the creation and implementation of public policies, distributing them by service, type of measure and target sector.
"Energy efficiency policies are increasingly being implemented in Latin America, three quarters are being implemented, but only 11 countries have a clear target", Didier Bosseboeuf, Scientific Advisor of the Research and Forecasting Directorate at ADEME. These words confirm what Alfonso Blanco shared during his presentation: "Our region, with what it is doing in terms of climate action, is failing to meet the targets set by national commitments. We need to redouble our efforts".
During the question-and-answer session, María Pía Zanetti from the National Energy Directorate of Uruguay and Juan Ignacio Navarrete from CONUEE also participated and shared their experiences with the tools created by OLADE and ADEME through EUROCLIMA+.
This event is an effort to maintain Energy Efficiency as a key issue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the fulfilment of the Nationally Determined Commitments under the Paris Agreement. In particular, these spaces serve for national and international organisations to exchange knowledge to inform the actions carried out in each country to strengthen the fight against climate change.
You can view the recording of the activity through the following links:
Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n8O4u-_XRA
English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaeoO4cb7fU
About the Energy Efficiency sector
The objective of this sector is to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation through the implementation of energy efficiency measures, in accordance with the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) assumed by countries under the Paris Agreement.
The actions financed under this sector aim to support countries in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the energy sector. Projects are aimed at identifying and financing initiatives that help strengthen capacities, institutions, public policy regulatory frameworks and monitoring systems that promote energy efficiency.
About EUROCLIMA+
EUROCLIMA+ is a programme funded by the European Union and co-financed by the German federal government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), as well as by the governments of France and Spain. It aims to reduce the impact of climate change and its effects in 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean by promoting climate change mitigation and adaptation, resilience and investment.
The Programme is implemented under the synergistic work of seven agencies: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the French Development Agency (AFD), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Expertise France (EF), the International and Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH, and the UN Environment Programme.
Contacts
For more information about EUROCLIMA+, contact Alexandra Cortés: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.