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Energy Access Theme & Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) Theme |
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International Partner Institution: Global Network on Sustainable Development - GNESD |
What is GNESD?
The Global Network on Energy for Sustainable Development (GNESD) is a UNEP facilitated knowledge network of developing world Centres of Excellence and network partners, renowned for their work on energy, development, and environment issues. The main objective of GNESD is to work for reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by:
- Strengthening the Members Centres' ability to acquire, assimilate, and apply existing knowledge and experiences.
- Working for a better understanding of the links between sustainable energy and other development and environment priorities, and technology and policy options, leading to better articulation of practical policies that can be adopted so as to promote energy for sustainable energy.
- Working to change government policies and programmes, and private sector, investments, so that these favour energy for sustainable development approaches.
- Promoting a communication infrastructure that provides a means for Members to share experiences and draw on each other's strengths, expertise, and skills, and
- Strengthened South-South and North-South exchange of knowledge and collaboration on energy issues of common interest.
Member Centres coordinate joint activities within the fields shown above, exchange information, carry out analytical studies and supply policy support. GNESD thereby makes it easier for each Member Centre to provide environmentally sound energy policy advice supporting sustainable development. The work in GNESD is theme driven and carried out on the basis of ad-hoc Working Groups consisting of representatives from the participating 19 Centres of Excellence.
Centro Clima COPPE UFRJ and GNESD
The Center of Integrated Studies on Climate Change and the Environment – Centro Clima COPPE UFRJ and IEE/USP
( São Paulo State University ) have developed studies and have also represented Brazil in GNESD. Both Brazilian academic centers have developed, from 2003 to 2005, studies and workshops about renewable energies contribution to the expansion of energy access to the poor, as a way to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development.
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Fases dos Estudos: |
First three phases of the Energy Access theme completed successfully Energy Access - PHASE I – POLICY RESEARCH Project Period: January, 11 th , 2003 to July 1 st , 2003 Products: Energy Access - PHASE I – POLICY RESEARCH Energy Access - PHASE II - DISSEMINATION The second phase of the Energy Access theme focused on the dissemination of the results and was completed in December 2004. One of the main outcomes of this phase is the special issue of the International Energy Initiative's ESD Journal shown above. The publication is available under the Publications section as PDF. Project Period: December 20 th , 2003 to November 30 th , 2004 Products: Energy Access - PHASE II - DISSEMINATION
Energy Access - PHASE III – POLICY IMPLEMENTATION In December 2004 the Energy Access Working Group embarked on the Policy Implementation phase coined at preparing detailed case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the policy option/recommendations identified as part of the Energy Access policy research phase. Product: Energy Access - PHASE III – POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
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Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) theme The RETs theme Working Group members finalized their assessment of RETs' contribution to satisfying the energy needs of the poor. |
GESD has together with UNEP, UNDP and the International Energy Agency (IEA) carried out three regional workshops focusing on the Electricity and Development issue. The key theme for all three workshops has been to address the dual challenge of ensuring electricity for national economic development and at the same time provide increased access to the poor parts of the population.
The Workshops made significant progress on understanding the linkages between poverty, development and access to electricity. One of the main conclusions is that the provision of modern energy services is crucial to the overall social and economic development and these services provide a platform without which the Millennium Development Goals cannot be attained. Lack of access to electricity in itself stood out as the clearest indicator of energy poverty and, indeed, of poverty in general.
Reports prepared by the Brazilian Staff (professors and researchers from Centro Clima/COPPE/UFRJ and CENBIO/USP):
GNESD – First Report : Expanding the Access to Electricity
GNESD – Second Report : The Role of Renewables in Enhancing Electricity Access for the Poor
Project Period: November 20 th , 2004 to December 20 th , 2005