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	Green Development News

In this issue - April 2018
Editorial ElectriFI Special Section In focus What's new		Project stories Did you know? For your diary Environment news

Editorial

Promoting sustainable energy investments worldwide

About 1.2 billion people are without access to electricity in the world. The situation is particularly alarming in sub-Saharan Africa, where 609 million people (about 60 %) lack access to electricity. In rural areas, electricity access is as low as 10 % on average in some countries. Despite rapid progress in several countries, the electrification of the continent is not keeping up with population growth. The European Union helps to change that.

Promoting sustainable energy investments worldwide

ElectriFI Special Section

Sweden supports EU flagship ElectriFI with EUR 5 million

On 21 March 2018, the Swedish government announced its support to ElectriFI – the EU flagship initiative to de-risk sustainable energy investments in developing countries. The Swedish support will help to boost ElectriFI investments in the sustainable energy sector in developing countries. This bilateral support adds to the indirect support EU Member States give to ElectriFI through their contributions to the EU budget.

ElectriFI – catalysing private sector investments in sustainable energy

Sigora connects 3 420 households to 24/7 renewable electricity in northern Haiti thanks to ElectriFI support

“We make kilowatt hours, and we sell kilowatt hours. It’s that simple,” explains Andy Bindea, founder of the micro-utility start-up Sigora Haiti, which has already connected 3 420 households, just two years after driving its first post in the ground on Haiti’s northwestern peninsula.

Sigora connects 3,420 households to 24/7 renewable electricity in Northern Haiti through support from the EU funded ElectriFI

ElectriFI invests in Azuri Technologies

ElectriFI supports an innovative off-balance-sheet debt financing facility of up to USD 20 million to provide working capital for the expansion of off-grid energy and service provision in East Africa.

Mera Gao Power connects 15 000 households to electricity in off-grid rural hamlets in India

Since 2011, Mera Gao Power (MGP) has built, owns and operates one of the most cost-efficient microgrids, which provide energy services to India’s off-grid, poor households.

Mera Gao Power connects 15.000 households to electricity in off-grid rural hamlets in India

In focus

DEVCO Environment Week 2018 – Brussels, 15-19 October – register now!

The second edition of DEVCO Week on Environment will take place in Brussels

DEVCO Environment Week 2018 – Brussels, 15-19 October – register now!

Energise and empower: women at the centre of the EU's energy cooperation

Sitting in their new community hall, the women shared their strategy: “We advise the women of the household to invite their husbands into the kitchen when they are cooking dinner. When he begins to cry because of the smoke, tell him about this stove that will stop the smoke and save wood. He will be sure to give you his blessing.”

Energise and Empower: Women at the Centre of EU's Energy Cooperation

Sub-Saharan Africa Covenant of Mayors initiative reaches 100 signatory cities

Comè in Benin became the 100th signatory city to the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), on 25 January 2018. Today there are 103. The EU-funded initiative was launched at the UN climate change conference in Paris in 2015 (COP21) to support cities in sub-Saharan Africa in addressing climate change and promoting clean energy. At its 2nd advisory board meeting, held on 1 March 2018 in Addis Ababa, the European Commission's Felice Zaccheo, head of unit for sustainable energy and climate change in DG International Cooperation and Development, described the CoM SSA initiative as "a real example of how the bottom-up approach bears fruit". The 100 signatories to CoMSSA to date "are the consequence of continous advocacy and communication with cities in sub-Saharan Africa," he said.

The EU funded Covenant of Mayors Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative reaches 100 signatory cities

Bringing clean energy to rural Malawi, one pump at a time

On a steeply wooded hillside above a village in Malawi’s Nkhata Bay, a group of young men and women are busy at work assembling pipes and machinery. Soon, the roar of a powerful generator echoes through the dense forest. It’s the sound of a revolution in renewable energy.

Bringing clean energy to rural Malawi - one pump at a time

What's new

EU supports Cuba's renewable energy sector with EUR 18 million cooperation programme

Investment incentives and opportunities were the focus of discussions at sustainable energy forum in Cuba on 30-31 January.

EU supports Cuba's renewable energy sector with EUR 18 million cooperation programme

Mainstreaming environment and climate change in the energy sector - Training

In line with the new European Consensus on Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the European Commission’s DG for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) is committed to supporting sustainable energy in developing countries. Most development cooperation programmes in the energy sector focus on promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, thus making a significant contribution to climate change mitigation.

Mainstreaming environment and climate change in the energy sector - Training

10 years of EU support to developing countries to adopt green economy and Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) practices : a strategic evaluation just released

The evaluation of EU international cooperation on the green economy covers initiatives supported by the EU over the last 10 years, notably the SWITCH programme in Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa which supports the development of enabling frameworks, improved capacities of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and business service providers, as well as networking among policy makers and businesses. Its conclusions are generally positive, noting in particular that actions promoting green business development have achieved "high impact in terms of uptake of SCP practices and increased levels of investments by MSMEs, contributing notably to the creation of green jobs".

10 years of EU support to developing countries to adopt green economy and Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) practices : a strategic evaluation just released

Greening EU energy cooperation and development

The European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) has developed a practical guidance document to strengthen the integration of environment and climate change in energy projects and budget support operations.

Greening EU energy development & cooperation

Ghana visits Indonesia to learn FLEGT licensing lessons

With Ghana moving towards full implementation of its Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU on illegal logging, representatives of its forest sector stakeholders have visited Indonesia to learn about its experiences of reaching that goal.

Ghana visits Indonesia to learn FLEGT licensing lessons

Congo and the EU adopt tools to implement their agreement on illegal logging

The Republic of Congo and the European Union have adopted a five-year plan for the implementation of their Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) aimed at eliminating illegal logging.

Congo and the EU adopt tools to implement their Agreement on illegal logging

Indonesia shipped verified legal timber worth more than EUR 1 billion to EU in first year of FLEGT licensing

Indonesia has shipped verified legal timber and timber products worth more than EUR 1 billion to the EU since it began issuing such products with FLEGT licences one year ago.

Indonesia shipped verified legal timber worth more than 1 billion euros to EU in first year of FLEGT licensing

Project stories

Implementing the B4Life flagship initiative in Latin America

How the EU B4Life Facility has been working with EU Delegations to protect natural resources for stability, security and socio-economic development.

Implementing the B4Life flagship initiative in Latin America

Solar Appropriate Technology in Rural Dodoma

About 70% of the Tanzanian population of 50 million lives in rural areas and largely depends on agricultural activities for their livelihoods. The Rural Energy Agency (REA), established to accelerate the pace of rural electrification in the country, has increased the electrification level from 2% in 2007 to 11% in 2015. The scattered nature of population settlements makes it difficult to bring energy to the countryside due to the requirement of long power transmission lines.

Solar Appropriate Technology in Rural Dodoma

Did you know?

EU development funding for environment and climate change

The EU is committed to spending 20% of its total budget for 2014-2020 on climate change. This article presents the state of play with regard to actual financial contributions by the European Commission’s DG International Cooperation & Development (DEVCO) to climate change and other environmental objectives over the past four years (2014-2017), based on data from the Environment and Climate Change Mainstreaming Facility (DEVCO C2-C6), with particular attention to the energy sector.

Financial contributions by DG DEVCO to environment and climate change

For your diary

Sustainable Energy for All Forum 2018, 2-3 May in Lisbon

This year's edition of the SEforAll Forum will focus on sharing the latest evidence of scalable innovations in providing electricity access, accelerating renewable energy and improving energy efficiency in all corners of the world. Read more: http://seforallforum.org/

Vienna Energy Forum 2018, 14 May 2018

This year's Vienna Energy Forum has been set up as a Special Session to support the High Level Political Forum 2018 in its review of the global progress of SDG 7 (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all) as well as 11 (Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable), 12 (Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns) and 17 (Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. The Special Session will highlight energy system transformation, climate technology and innovation, and partnerships to advance inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID). Read more: https://www.viennaenergyforum.org/

EU Sustainable Energy Week will be back for its 13th edition, from 4 to 8 June in Brussels

High Level Political Forum 2018 - 9-18 July in New York

Environment news

Environment news: orang-utan decline, mass mortality events, elephant crisis

A selection of key environment news stories from recent weeks.

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