EU Sustainable Energy for All Summit

Monday 16 April: EU Sustainable Energy for All Summit

On 16 April, the European Commission and the Danish Presidency of the EU Council will host the EU Sustainable Energy for All Summit. This event will bring together high-level representatives from the EU, United Nations, developing countries, industry and civil society organisations committed to achieving sustainable energy for all by 2030. This ambitious goal was set up by a High Level Group led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, of which Commissioner Piebalgs is a Member.

The Summit will be opened by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. Other high profile guests are expected to include Michelle Bachelet (Executive Director, UN Women), Armando Guebuza, President of Mozambique, Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank Group, Werner Hoyer, President of European Investment Bank and Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Director General of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. Commissioner Piebalgs will co-chair the event and give the closing speech together with Christian Friis Bach Danish Minister for Development Cooperation.

As the largest provider of development assistance in the world, the EU plays a crucial role in efforts to end energy poverty around the globe. However, providing universal access to sustainable energy will require the combined action of a large coalition of actors from the public and private sectors alike.

The conference aims to mobilise the efforts of all concerned in order to promote growth in developing countries through access to sustainable energy. It will also put a special focus on gender and access to sustainable energy for women. This summit will be important; both in preparing for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil in June 2012 and in helping to define the way forward for the EU's contribution to the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.

The background:

Around 1.3 billion people in the world are deprived of access to electricity and the opportunities it provides for working, learning or operating a business.

Some 2.7 billion people use wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste to cook their meals and heat their homes, exposing themselves and their families to smoke and fumes that damage their health and kill nearly 2 million people every year.

Without access to energy we cannot achieve the Millennium Development Goals – nor can we promote economic development. It is this unacceptable situation which prompted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to launch his "Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All)" initiative September 2011.

The EU offers expertise as well as development funding to provide access to secure, affordable, clean and sustainable energy services. This UN initiative therefore presents a significant opportunity for the EU and developing countries to further cooperate with public institutions, businesses, research institutions and civil society in order to help make sure that energy is accessible for everyone.

AGENDA

9:30 – 11:00

Opening Ceremony

Co-chairs: Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development and Christian Friis Bach, Minister for

 Development Cooperation, Denmark

• • Empowering the World: Can Europe Bring an End to Energy Poverty in our Lifetime?

  José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission

• Keynote speech: Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General
• Address by a President of a Partner Country
• Address by Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
• Address by Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank

  11:00 – 11:30 Panel 1 – Catalysing Growth and Empowering Change

  Chair:

  Kandeh K. Yumkella Chair of UN-Energy and Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

  11:30 – 13:30 

  • Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development
  • Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, Minister of Energy, Ghana
  • Gilbert Mbesherubusa, Vice President for Infrastructure, The African Development Bank Group
  • Rachel Kyte, Vice President for Sustainable Development, The World Bank Group
  • Fulvio Conti, President of Eurelectric, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ENEL

    Ministerial Roundtable

    Development ministers of the EU and ministers from partner countries are invited to participate in an interactive exchange of ideas initiated and moderated by Mr Kandeh K. Yumkella.

    13:30 – 15:00 Lunch

    15:00 – 17:30

    Panel 2 – Gender Equality and Access to Modern Energy

    Services

    Chair: Christian Friis Bach, Minister for Development Cooperation, Denmark

    • 15:00 – 15:20

      Keynote Speech – Gender Equality and Access to Modern Energy

      Services

      Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

      • 15:20 – 16:10

        A Gender and Rights-based Approach to Energy Access and Governance

        Moderator: Julia Marton-Lefévre, Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature

        Christian Friis Bach, Danish Minister for Development Cooperation

    • Kandeh K. Yumkella, Chair of UN-Energy, and Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
    • Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, State Minister, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Bangladesh
    • Rachel Kyte, Vice President for Sustainable Development, The World Bank Group (tbc)

      • Discussion and conclusion

        16:10 – 16:30 Coffee Break

        16:30 – 17:20

        Barriers and Opportunities to the Realization of Women’s Access to Energy

        Winnie Byanyima, Director of the Gender Team, United Nations Development Programme

      • Betty Maina, Executive Director of the Kenya Association of Manufactures
      • Julia Marton-Lefévre, Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature

        Discussion and conclusion

        17:20 – 17:30

        Recommendations for the Rio Summit and the Way Forward

        •  Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

          17:30 – 18:00

          Closing Ceremony

          •  Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for DevelopmentChristian Friis Bach, Minister for Development and Cooperation, Denmark