Scottish Government to host European Launch of UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) in Glasgow

VIENNA/GLASGOW, 21 July 2014: Kandeh K. Yumkella, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All Initiative and UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All will address the European Launch of the UN Decade of SEforALL on 24 July in Glasgow, on the margins of the Commonwealth Games at an event hosted by the Scottish Government in partnership with the SEforALL Global Facilitation Team alongside the Commonwealth Games Business Conference. Commonwealth countries are key partners for UN Sustainable Energy for All in delivering its three objectives - universal energy access, doubling the global rate of improvements in energy efficiency and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, – in an effort to underscore the importance of energy with to economic growth, increased social equity and an environment that allows the world to thrive. Scotland has delivered a massive scaling-up of its renewable energy, with a threefold increase in capacity in the past decade. Renewable energy now delivers 46% of Scotland’s equivalent electricity demand. Scotland is partnering with Malawi on the roll-out of community renewable energy, to support vital services and sustainable economic development, through the £2.2 million Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme, as well as smaller innovative projects linking energy to health and economic outcomes for women. Scotland’s businesses, civic society and academia are supporting SolarAid in Malawi, and the Scottish Government has made a commitment to the UN to second an energy policy expert to the Government of Malawi’s Department of Energy later this year. The European Launch of the UN Decade of SEforALL will particularly focus on the theme for the first 2 years, energy for women and children’s health and Economic Empowerment with speakers Dr Kandeh Yumkella, Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Environment and Climate Change, and The Rt Hon Lynne Featherstone MP, UK Government Parliamentary and Under Secretary of State for International Development. The Commonwealth Games Business Conference is being held on 22-23 July in Glasgow, Scotland supported by the Scottish Government and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) on behalf of the UK Government.