Norway and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, REEEP Side Event 1 March 2007

Norway and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership
by Anne Kari H. Ovind, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Speaking points

Ladies and gentlemen
 
Some  may say it is high time that Norway becomes an active partner of REEEP. I rather say it’s the right time.  Never before has REEEP’s vision been more important than today.

Energy touches on every dimension of globalisation and sustainable development.

We need energy to combat poverty, to develop, to improve living conditions and to thrive as societies.

At the same time we know that current trends in energy consumption are not sustainable economically, environmentally or socially.

Energy poverty threatens to hold back the economic and social development of more than two billion people in the developing world.

The consequences of global warming are serious indeed. The Stern report and the latest report from the UN Panel on Climate Change give a clear message: - we must act now.

It is quite obvious that these problems cannot be solved through action at the national or regional level alone. A concerted effort at the global level will also be vital. 

In our view, a portfolio of strategies is necessary to develop sustainable energy supply and use. This must include the use of less carbon-intensive sources of energy, CO2 capture and storage, increased use of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

REEEP is based on the principle that energy efficiency pays. It is the cheapest source of energy available, and it is abundant worldwide. The potential for energy efficiency is great in all countries, and particularly great in economies in transition.

The question is how can we make full use of this potential? How can partnerships like REEEP help in this regard?

- REEEP is an enabler and catalyst for developing energy systems in a sustainable direction.

- REEEP promotes transparent and stable regulatory frameworks which is necessary to attract investors,

- REEEP is finding new financing models to implement small sized renewable and energy efficient projects,

- REEEP promotes capacity building and empowerment,

- REEEP enhances dissemination of information and sharing of best practice.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Norwegian Government intends to be at the forefront of effects to make environmental concerns an integral part of all development cooperation. 

The launch of Norway’s Action Plan for Environment in Development Cooperation, in June last year,  was an important step in this direction.

We are now scaling up our efforts in this field through our bilateral cooperation, through UN agencies and through the international financial institutions as well as through NGOs and international partnerships.    

Norway believes that REEEP’s vision is consistent with the aims of our Action Plan and has decided to contribute to REEEP-activities a total amount of NOK 30 million (about EUR 3,7 million to its activities).  This makes Norway the second largest REEEP-donor.

Next week REEEP will call for projects for the priority countries – China, India an Brazil and from across the developing world pooling contributions from Norway and other REEEP donors.

Ladies and gentlemen,
 
Norway is a strong supporter of recipient ownership, alignment, donor coordination and harmonisation. We greatly appreaciate REEEP’s bottom-up, “demand-driven” approach. We expect REEEP to engage with local partners taking into account the role of women in energy consumption and decision-making. 

We expect REEEP to continue its efforts in forging closer cooperation with other initiatives and with international organisation such as the IEA. This is the best approach to eliminate duplication of efforts.
 
In concluding I would like to mention that energy has been at the core of Norway’s own development. We have shared our experience and assisted other countries in developing their renewable energy sector for several decades.

I hope that our experience in the field of energy and environment both at home and from development cooperation.will be valuable for REEEP and to other REEEP partners.

It feels good to stand up in this audience and talk about REEEP and the perspectives we have before us. It feels right to have joined REEEP at this juncture - at the policy year of CSD 15.

Thank you!