Panel stresses importance of SEforALL for SDGs

Special Representative Kandeh Yumkella provides update on Sustainable Energy for All progress made. NEW YORK, 21 November 2014 - Kandeh Yumkella, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, Friday provided an update for UN Member States and other stakeholders on progress made. 'We will continue to transform commitments into kilowatts for real people,' promised Yumkella, highlighting the huge force of multi-stakeholder and cross-regional SEforALL partners standing ready to support. Among the recent developments and progress highlighted by the Special Representative were the following (see a larger list of highlights here):  

• In July 2014, energy became centrally placed amongst the proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
• More than 100 countries (including 85 developing countries) have joined Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) as partners, and many are already working concretely with the support of SEforALL partners.
• Two commitments from Europe and the USA alone mean that we can halve energy poverty by 2030, and it is backed by about USD 42 billion of public-private financing. Many more commitments add to this.
• SEforALL has built a new SEforALL Global Energy Efficiency Accelerators platform.
• SEforALL has established a unique partnership between private banks, multilateral and national development banks, and institutional investors to mobilize an additional USD 120 billion a year.
• The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), as the SEforALL renewables hub, has launched the SIDS Lighthouse initiative and the African Clean Energy Corridor.
• SEforALL has built a strong network of hubs to support implementation, including the World Bank Knowledge hub that is leading the work with IEA on the SEforALL Global Tracking Framework's 2^nd edition, due next year.
• The 1st annual Sustainable Energy for All Forum took place from 4-6 2014. The 2^nd Forum is scheduled for the week of 18 May 2015.

The update was followed by a panel discussion initiated by the Permanent Representatives of Denmark and Pakistan, Ambassador Ib Petersen and Ambassador Masood Khan respectively, as well as the UN High Representative of Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Gyan Chandra Acharya. 'Sustainable Energy for All is about delivering on the ground in a very concrete manner,' said Ambassador Khan, describing SEforALL as a catalyst, not least for delivering on the proposed energy Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for the Post-2015 Development Agenda. 'It has made world leaders more conscious of the importance of energy, and its importance means it has to be owned by the entire UN family,' said the Pakistani Ambassador. Ambassador Petersen of Denmark underscored the importance of the different thematic and regional hubs for achieving progress going forward. 'In our country we are happy to see the Copenhagen Energy Effiency Centre serving as the SEforALL Energy Efficiency Hub. These kinds of hubs will be important for bringing partners together for action,' stressed Ambassador Petersen. The United Nations High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States has seen a lot of backing for SEforALL coming from his constituencies over the few last months. 'In all the recent meetings and conferences on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS issues we have seen solid backing and that the importance of SEforALL has been stressed,' said UN Under-Secretary-General Acharya, referring to the Third International Conference on SIDS, the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries and the Ministerial Conference on New Partnerships for Productive Capacity Building in LDCs. (See attached file: 21-Nov_hand-out.pdf)