Vienna Energy Forum: energy is key for development and climate

More than 1,000 people, including top experts and senior government officials, are expected to attend the Vienna Energy Forum this week, sharing experience and mobilising action for sustainable energy as the key to achieving inclusive development and combating climate change. Running from 18 to 20 June in the Austrian capital, the biennial event comes at a significant moment ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) Summit in September and the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in December. By emphasizing the central role of sustainable energy for both the post-2015 development agenda and the climate agenda, and showcasing best practices and actions on the ground, the VEF 2015 aims to contribute to both these vital events. “We need to transform the world’s energy systems by taking a fresh, joined-up approach that can fuel development and at the same time combat climate change,” said Kandeh Yumkella, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and CEO of the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) initiative, one of the VEF’s co-organizers. “We can change the game by mobilizing multiple players – public sector, private sector and civil society – to work together in new partnerships and leverage the necessary large-scale investment.” The VEF 2015, co-organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the Austrian Federal Ministry of Europe, Integration and Foreign and Affairs (BMEIA), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and SEforALL, is being held in Vienna’s historic Hofburg Palace. Building on the findings from the previous VEFs in 2009, 2011 and 2013, as well as the overarching targets of SEforALL, the event will provide a high-level platform for dialogue on a broad range of sustainable energy issues, including partnerships, finance, policy, technology, capacity building and knowledge management. It will also consider the impact of global drivers such as population growth and urbanization, regional approaches including South-South cooperation, and the links between energy and water, food and health.   For more details on the VEF, click here.