Sustainable Energy For All
2012 has been designated as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the specific initiative "Sustainable Energy for All" (SE4ALL) in September 2011, in recognition of the importance of access to sustainable energy for economic development and for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
This initiative attracts global attention to the importance of energy for development and poverty alleviation and calls for private sector as well as national commitments. The goal is to meet three objectives by 2030:
• Ensuring universal access to modern energy services.
• Doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
• Doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
The European Union (European Commission and the 27 Member States) in the last 10 years played a key role in increasing and improving Energy Access in developing countries all around the world. The EU lead the way as much politicaly (including through the EU Energy Initiative for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development - EUEI) as financialy with commitments over 32 billion Euros in ten years in Energy development support. And in the coming years, the EU is determined continuing to lead the way and commited to provide Access to modern energy services to an additional 500 million people by 2030.
2012 gives us the opportunity to proudly celebrate the 10th anniversary of the EUEI which the Member States and the Commission launched in 2002 at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The EUEI has led to a considerable increase in spending and has achieved synergies in energy cooperation with developing countries.
For further information:
EU Sustainable Energy for All Summit
UN Sustainable Energy for All website
