PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Mauritius: SADC validates regional plan for sustainable energy
Port Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have refined and validated a regional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (REEESAP) for the period 2016 to 2030, which aims to increase energy access and security, support industrialization, empower lives and enhance environmental sustainability.
In a press release issued Thursday, copy of which was made available to PANA in Port Louis, the SADC Secretariat said it organized a two-day workshop on this issue from 5-6 October 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
About 40 officials from ministries responsible for energy, SADC implementing agencies, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), as well as international cooperating partners deliberated to fine-tune a regional roadmap for a swift transition toward sustainable energy.
The SADC region, according to the statement, plans to harness its abundant renewable energy resources and energy efficiency opportunities to meet its energy challenges, such as an insufficient access to modern energy services, reliance on fossil fuels and traditional biomass, and a pressing need to mitigate climate change.
"Growing population, rapid urbanisation and economic growth have sent energy demand soaring and will deepen the energy deficit, unless new and renewable energy systems are rapidly introduced into the energy mix," it said.
Renewables account for 23.5% of electricity generation in the SADC region and could rise to 60% under favourable policy scenarios, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
At their 34th meeting in South Africa in 2015, SADC ministers responsible for energy decided to develop a regional framework for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.
In response to this, the SADC Secretariat has since April 2016 conducted a broad consultative process, which has been crucial to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the renewable energy and energy efficiency situation, opportunities and challenges in the region.
The REEESAP will be presented to the SADC energy ministers at their next meeting, scheduled for June 2017, for consideration and approval.
-0- PANA NA/AR 6Oct2016
In a press release issued Thursday, copy of which was made available to PANA in Port Louis, the SADC Secretariat said it organized a two-day workshop on this issue from 5-6 October 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
About 40 officials from ministries responsible for energy, SADC implementing agencies, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), as well as international cooperating partners deliberated to fine-tune a regional roadmap for a swift transition toward sustainable energy.
The SADC region, according to the statement, plans to harness its abundant renewable energy resources and energy efficiency opportunities to meet its energy challenges, such as an insufficient access to modern energy services, reliance on fossil fuels and traditional biomass, and a pressing need to mitigate climate change.
"Growing population, rapid urbanisation and economic growth have sent energy demand soaring and will deepen the energy deficit, unless new and renewable energy systems are rapidly introduced into the energy mix," it said.
Renewables account for 23.5% of electricity generation in the SADC region and could rise to 60% under favourable policy scenarios, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
At their 34th meeting in South Africa in 2015, SADC ministers responsible for energy decided to develop a regional framework for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.
In response to this, the SADC Secretariat has since April 2016 conducted a broad consultative process, which has been crucial to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the renewable energy and energy efficiency situation, opportunities and challenges in the region.
The REEESAP will be presented to the SADC energy ministers at their next meeting, scheduled for June 2017, for consideration and approval.
-0- PANA NA/AR 6Oct2016
