International Energy efficiency Forum
28 - 30 September 2010, Astana, Kazakhstan
It is recognized that Central Asia as a region has significant energy efficiency and renewable energy potential, realization of which would help tackle the challenges related to energy security, economic development, environmental and social issues. Among important prerequisites that could allow moving forward with promoting EE and RE is the establishment of favourable conditions for attracting investment into EE and RE projects in various sectors, including the residential and municipal sector. This is especially true in the wake of the recent economic crisis that contributed to the scarcity of the available financial resources.
In this context, establishment of enabling environment for attracting investments into development and realization of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects can be achieved through implementation of policy reforms and adjustment of legislative and regulatory frameworks with the purpose to eliminate existing barriers and provide relevant economic incentives that would foster EE and RE market formation and make EE and RE projects bankable. Quite importantly, these changes could help tap into the private sector that can offer significant financial resources that can be directed into the EE and RE sector.
This was the main focus of the International Energy Efficiency Forum that took place on 28-30 September 2010 in Astana, Kazakhstan, as a parallel event to the Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development for Asia and the Pacific (MCED-6). It was organized jointly by the Government of Kazakhstan, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Among its participants were delegates from the SPECA states, as well as delegates from other countries and regions and representatives of international organizations and financial institutions.
The Forum consisted of a number of sessions and seminars covering a wide range of issues, including ways and means of financing EE and RE investments, current policy and legislative framework in the region and ongoing or necessary policy reforms, energy efficiency in buildings. Each of the session discussions were enriched by the concrete examples of international best practices and case studies presented by delegates from countries in the SPECA region and beyond, as well as representatives international organizations and financial institutions.
Some of the discussions provided valuable input for further discussions during the 18th session of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Project Working Group on Water and Energy Resources and the Workshop on the Baku Initiative on Energy Efficiency and Conservation (30 September, Astana) and were able to feed into the SPECA region concept on energy efficiency cooperation that is currently being developed.
The summary report of the Forum along with the presentations and other relevant documents are available below:
