At the Fifth Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) from 10-11 February 2022, energy ministers, vice-ministers and heads of delegation to the UN ECLAC affirmed their commitment to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies to support the energy transition for sustainable development.
In a joint Communiqué, the country representatives recognised that Latin America and the Caribbean’s vast renewable energy resources have the potential to meet the region’s energy demand for a Just Energy Transition. The agreement was discussed in the ECLAC high-level event on “Renewable Energies in support to the Regional Integration and Adaptation” on 10 February, 2022.
Speaking at the event, Rayén Quiroga, Head of the Energy and Water Unit, ECLAC, said the region must continue its efforts to reduce emissions and provide universal and equitable access to modern energy services. Furthermore, she presented ECLAC’s proposal of investing 1.3% of the annual GDP in the region for the next ten years to achieve a profound energy transformation based on renewables, which would also create 7 million jobs supporting the green recovery. Finally, she underlined the vital role of international cooperation in advancing the region’s energy transition and thanked GET.transform for the support provided to ECLAC’s energy planning activities. Christopher Gross, Global Team Lead at GET.transform, gave an overview of the support portfolio including contributions to ECLAC’s Regional Forum of Energy Planners (FOREPLEN).
The significance of energy planning was further emphasised by Rubén Contreras Lisperguer, ECLAC Lead Officer on Energy, in pointing to the energy sector as a base of transformative change towards more sustainable patterns of production, consumption and demand.
The energy ministers acknowledged the effort made by the countries of the region to make their energy systems cleaner and more sustainable, but also deliberated individual country priorities in advancing their energy transitions. Strategic energy planning was one of the priority areas they jointly identified in the Communiqué for intensified support through UN ECLAC and international partners.
GET.transform is honoured to continue its collaboration with UN ECLAC in supporting the implementation of the Communiqué which identifies both national and regional level fields for technical assistance, south-south cooperation, and other alternatives to support a Just Energy Transition for the region.
Find the full Communiqué available in English and Spanish.
Additional information on the meeting is available on the UN ECLAC website (in Spanish).