COP 24 Energy Events

Energypedia at the COP

This year’s COP was held from 3-14 December in Katowice, Poland. As one of the official observer organizations (we were admitted this year! Yeah!), energypedia attended the COP and also organized an exhibition booth to showcase our platform. It was an amazing opportunity to be a part of the COP in Katowice and meet delegates from all over the world. We met many energypedians at our stand and received valuable feedback about our work. Thank you to everybody who dropped by our booth. We shared the booth with GERES and Abibimman Foundation. 

Nearly 23,000 delegates flew in from all over the world to be a part of the conference. There were many side events where different topics such as energy access, role of renewables, energy efficiency and clean cooking were addressed.

Some of the results from this year’s COP are:

• Paris rule book was agreed to put the Paris agreement into practice
  
• The Council of the European Union (EU) signed revised directives on renewable energy and energy efficiency. By 2030, renewables will account for 32 percent of energy use in the EU and energy savings will increase by 0.8 percent each year between 2021 and 2030.
  
• Many non-state actors got on board with climate agreement. Maersk, one of the largest shipping company announced to be carbon neutral by 2050. Shell announced that it would bind executive pay to short-term carbon emissions targets in 2020.
• COP 25 will take place in Chile in November 2019.

Financial contributions:

• The World Bank doubled its climate finance investment to USD 200 billion for 2021-2025 to help countries fight climate change.
• The Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) issued a declaration for aligning their activities with the Paris Agreement.
  

• Germany announced EUR 70m contribution to the Adaptation Fund and countries like France, Sweden, Italy and the EU made small contributions to raised the total to USD 129m. Germany also announced EUR 1.5 bn for the Green Climate Fund’s replenishment round. Norway pleaded USD 516 m to the fund. 
  
• The UK also offered a GBP 100m increase in funding for renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa,  GBP 170m for creating “net zero” cluster of heavy industries in the UK by 2040.

Below you can find a list of all energy related side-events hosted on COP24:

Date	Room	Event
03 Dec Monday	15:00-16:15 Pavilion E, Ground Floor, NR 18.	How can multilateral institutions support innovators to ramp-up the implementation of clean and efficient solutions?
04 Dec  Tuesday	9:00 and 2:30 and 4:30 AfDB Pavillion which is in the pink block H	AFDB energy-day: Unlocking Commercial Finance for Small-scale Renewable Energy in Africa: The “Facility for Energy Inclusion” (FEI) , Event Time: 9:00am - 10:30am Partners: Lions Head Global Partners Asset Management  Lead: AfDB Desert to Power: Harnessing the Sun to Power the Sahel Region Event Time: 2:30pm - 4:00pm Lead: AfDB Energy efficiency: lessons for Africa Event Time: 4:30pm - 6:00pm Partners: AfDB Lead:  UNEP
05 December Wednesday	11:30-13:00 room 4	Local climate actions: the practices behind the numbers incl. GERES This side-event will bring together climate experts and political leaders to discuss how “Locally and Regionally Determined Contributions” could be fully recognised and integrated into global processes. Looking beyond the numbers, several tools and methods will be presented and will demonstrate the diversity of approaches already being taken.
06 Dec Thrusday	16:30 to 18:00 at WWF Pavilion #PandaHub.	“How to accelerate universal access to sustainable energy in Africa, for the benefit of climate, people, and nature? “to take place on  from 16:30 to 18:00 at WWF Pavilion #PandaHub. The present energy system in Africa exacerbates poverty, deforestation and nature loss, health issues, and thus prevent from real sustainable development in the continent. Achieving universal access to sustainable energy in Africa supposes to consider the poor communities, for them to have access to clean, reliable and affordable energy solutions. For this to become a reality, we have to create an enabling environment through targeted financial flows, a conducive policy environment, and social acceptance of renewable energy solutions. Come and be part of our exciting journey towards Universal Energy Access by 2030!
06 Dec Thursday	17:00 – 18:15 | Benelux pavilion	Innovative Energy Systems for Refugee Settlements An interactive session aiming to find lasting solutions to clean energy access for refugees. Providing energy for the growing number of refugee settlements around the world comes at a high cost - for humanitarian organisations, for the users, and for the environment. The current approach, based on short-term grants and donations, is not sustainable. This session explores innovative ways to promote market-based solutions that increase the use of clean energy sources. SNV’s experiences from Kenya show how sustainable and commercially viable supply and distribution models for quality cookstoves and PicoPV can be maintained in an approach that includes both the refugees and the host communities, generating employment, local entrepreneurship opportunities, and improved livelihoods.
07 Dec Friday	9:00–10:00 Venue: SDG Pavilion E-34	Achieving universal energy access in the context of the wider sustainable development agenda. Organized by IEA
07 Dec Friday	10:00 – 14:30 EU pavilion	Agriculture’s Future: Energising agriculture This session will explore the role of agriculture in reaching net-zero emissions globally. It will debate the key levers for a low carbon, resilient farming sector and barriers to change including presentations on both supply and demand side measures, The session will specifically address opportunities and challenges related to trade policy, engagement with producers, working with small holders and consumption.
07 Dec Friday	10.30 – 11.30, UNDESA pavilion	Strong voices from the South: how media can enhance sustainable development while combating climate change This session invites journalists from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Nepal that report on issues like clean cooking, deforestation, the extraction of fossil fuels and the uptake of decentralized renewable energy. They will share their experiences with writing about the topic and the way they have contributed to the debates on climate action.
07 Dec Friday	13:30–14:30 SDG Pavilion E-34	Improving multi-level governance through better reporting: Accelerating renewable energy uptake Organized by REN21
08 Dec Saturday	9:00–10:00 SDG Pavilion E-34	Session TitleTBC Organized by the Multi-StakeholderSDG7-TAG/ DESA
08 Dec  Saturday	11:30—13:00 Room 1	Powering Ambition: Energy & Technology Solutions To Build Low-Carbon Economies The private sector is driving local & national action to help countries improve energy productivity, build a diverse low-carbon electricity portfolio & net zero-carbon buildings, strengthen resilience & develop bio-based products. Hear how smart policy and investments create jobs and grow economies. Speakers: Business executives from global technology providers & thought leaders from a broad cross-section of economy, to include: advanced bio-products, carbon capture storage & utilization, clean energy, corporate sustainability, emissions offsets, energy efficiency & productivity & net-zero-carbon bldgs.
10 Dec Monday	11:30–12:30 SDG Pavilion E-34	Rethinking development finance for climate: An in-depth look at energy access in sub-Saharan Africa Organized by OECD (GEIDCO)
10 Dec Monday	12.00 - 13.30, EU pavilion	Innovative climate finance to escalate private sector investment in decentralized energy access The session will focus on how to address the barriers, such as the lack of adequate finance, that hamper the uptake of off-grid and mini-grid renewable energy solutions. New research by IIED on public climate finance and aggregation of finance will be discussed as well as experience of Lithuania on climate finance for renewable energy. Speakers include Lina Ceicyte, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania; Felice Zaccheo, Head Sustainable Energy and Climate Change at DG International Cooperation & Development, European Commission; and Marcus Wiemann, Executive Director Alliance for Rural Electrification.
11 Dec  Tuesday	11:30—13:00 Room 5 Venue: Room Pieniny, Area G ISES	Stronger Together: Showcasing Success of Renewable Energy Technologies Working Together Renewable energies (solar, wind, biomass, hydro & geothermal) are a real and ready solution to combat dangerous climate change facing the world today. They also provide jobs, improve health and support local economic development. This event will showcase strength of renewables working together. Speakers: • Hans Josef Fell, President Energy Watch Group, Germany • Mathis Rogner, International Hydropower Association, UK • Remigijus Lapinskas, World Bioenergy Association, Lithuania  • Tanay Sidki Uyar, World Wind Energy Association, Turkey  • Beata Kepinska, Polish Geothermal Society, Poland  The session will be moderated by Prof. Eicke Weber, Director, Vice President, International Solar Energy Society.
11 Dec Tuesday	14.00 – 14.45 German Pavilion (E11)	Green People’s Energy for Africa: Empowering people to generate their own renewable energies Renewable energy produced and productively used by citizens offers a secure and sustainable energy supply and new opportunities for local economies. 600 million people in Africa have no access to electricity. 75% of them live in rural areas. Whether urban or rural, development is not possible without energy. This growing energy demand in Africa can be served by renewable energy sources in a more beneficial way to the environment, climate, and health of the population than by fossil fuels. Energy expansion in Africa is possible without further carbonisation. Africa has the chance to be the first continent with a self-sufficient renewable energy supply. The necessary technologies already exist. In many parts of Africa, decentralized renewable energy is even the most cost-efficient option. Through the “Green People’s Energy for Africa” initiative, community groups, cooperatives and municipalities are empowered to generate and productively use decentralized energy supplies of solar, water, wind and biomass to produce light or to run water pumps, mills, air conditioners, refrigerators, dryers and more. Small electricity grids owned by community groups have the potential to generate sources of income and jobs. Furthermore, by interconnecting these small grids a secure provision of electricity can be achieved, thereby strengthening the communities they serve. Such an approach would at the same time address several of the sustainable development goals. How can community groups, cooperatives, associations and municipalities gain access to decentralized energy from the sun, water, wind and biomass, and at the same time ensure a stable, low-emission energy supply that permits economic development? Where do such decentralized energy suppliers already operate? How do they serve the affected populations? Ms Bärbel Höhn, the BMZ Special Representative for Energy in Africa, will share updates on Federal Minister Müller’s „Green People’s Energy for Africa” initiative. Examples from Africa demonstrate how energy production and jobs creation are connected and why small, decentralized structures provide relevant alternatives to large power stations. Bärbel Höhn, BMZ Special Representative for Energy in Africa and former State Minister of Environment and Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as Manuel Araújo, Mayor of Quelimane, Mozambique and Member of ICLEI’s Global Executive Committee They will provide insights from the “Green People’s Energy for Africa” Initiative and showcase examples from Africa on how such decentralized energy suppliers can operate.
11 Dec Tuesday	16:45 – 18:15, Room Bug SEforALL	“Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2018” Our side event will feature a presentation of key findings from Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2018, the latest report arising from Sustainable Energy for All’s (SEforALL) groundbreaking research partnership with Climate Policy Initiative (CPI). The report provides first-of-a-kind, systematic analysis of finance flows into two key areas of energy access, electricity and clean cooking, in 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia with the world’s largest energy access deficits. Rachel Kyte, SEforALL CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, will provide opening remarks, which will be followed by a presentation of the report's key findings. SEforALL will then engage a panel of leading global financiers and policymakers at the forefront of innovation in a discussion of the policies, institutions and financial instruments necessary to spur the global energy transition and meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) targets by 2030. PANELISTS: Mr. Shegun Bakari, Advisor to HE Mr. Faure Gnassingbé, President of the Togolese Republic Dr. Barbara K Buchner, Executive Director, Climate Finance, Climate Policy Initiative Mr. Abyd Karmali, Managing Director, Climate Finance, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Mr. K S Popli, Chairman and Managing Director, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Moderated by Olivia Coldrey, Lead Finance Specialist, SEforALL
11 Dec Tuesday	16:45 to 18:15, Room Pieniny REEEP	Mobilising Investements for Off-grid Energy Solutions in African countries Thee Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia has helped over 330,000 people gain access to clean energy in its first 15 month of operation. This event will analyse leranings, discuss plans for future expansion, and stress the opportunities availabel to commercial investors in the off-grid clean energy sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. Speakers: Lars Ronnås – Climate Ambassador of Sweden Harriet Zulu - Ministry of Energy, Zambia   Representative from the Government of Liberia (t.b.c.) Helle Lindegaard – Vice President, Head of Trust Funds and Climate, Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) Martin Hiller – Director General, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) Website of the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia
11 Dec Tuesday	16.30 - 18.00, AfDB pavilion Energia/HIVOS	Inclusive policy and finance for sustainable energy access Panelists and discussants will discuss different approaches to channeling financing to where it is needed and in the form that is needed (e.g., financial instrument, terms of financing), as well as policy and institutional changes to scale-up finance and reach local (women) entrepreneurs. In order to scale-up deployment as well as to maximize the socio-economic benefits of off-grid renewable energy solutions. Speakers: Minister Kaag - Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, The Netherlands; Amadou Hott –Vice President for Power, Energy Climate and  Green Growth, AfDB; Tareq Emtairah- Director of the Energy Department, UNIDO; Keriako Tobiko - Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Government of the Republic of Kenya (tbc); Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven - Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Government of the Federal Republic of Germany; Tosi Mpanu Mpanu– Vice-chair LDC REEEI , board member GCF, Democratic Republic of Congo.
12 Dec Wednesday	9:00–10:00 SDG Pavilion E-34	Building Global Energy Interconnection to Accelerate Sustainable Development Organized by GEIDCOand UN DESA
12 Dec Wednesday	11:30—13:00 Room 3	Bringing socio-economic benefits through enhanced deployment of renewable energy Participants from climate vulnerable countries will discuss how they can achieve energy decarbonisation through enhanced deployment of renewables and what socio-economic benefits the deployment can bring to these countries. Speakers: Speakers will be Ministers and senior Government officials from climate vulnerable countries such as the Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Costa Rica and Ethiopia. (to be confirmed)
12 Dec Wednesday	13:15—14:45 Room 1	Accelerating clean energy transitions and mobilizing investment to implement Paris Agreement goals This event will showcase how countries, in partnership with international organizations, financial institutions and private sector, are accelerating clean energy transitions. One important means is by shifting and scaling up investments towards low-carbon energy. Speakers: High-level representatives of governments, MDBs, international organizations, and private sector.
12 Dec Wednesday	Meet-the-Expert 14.00 - 16.00, EU pavilion	Meet the colleague Rita Poppe (@ritapoppe) to learn about Hivos' work on decentralized renewable energy for energy access. HIVOS
12 Dec Wednesday,	14:30 – 16:00 UK Pavillion	LOW CARBON COOLING: SCALING-UP INNOVATION, FINANCE AND DEPLOYMENT The UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), in cooperation with the University of Birmingham, will hold a side event on the urgency for scaling up innovation, finance and deployment of low carbon cooling technologies. An SEforALL senior representative will participate in the panel discussion and share findings and insight from our Cooling for All work.
12 Dec Wednesday	15:00—16:30 Room 5	Mobilising Investment for Off-Grid Energy Solutions in African Countries Energy access is key to building prosperity and resilience. Governments need to deploy public funding in a smart way to mobilise private finance and develop services for the poor. Beyond the Grid Fund Africa achieves this through blended finance, data analytics, capacity building and policy support. Speakers: Government Representatives of Zambia; Mr. Lars Ronnås, Swedish Ambassador for Climate Change; Mr. Martin Hiller, Director General, REEEP; Ms. Helle Lindegaard, Vice President, Head of Trust Funds and Climate, NEFCO.
12 Dec Wednesday	17:00 Booth no 132	Energypedia Meetup Cancelled
12 Dec  Wednesday	18:30 – 20:00, Room TBD	UN ENVIRONMENT SIDE EVENT: “COOLING-OFF WITHOUT COOKING THE PLANET. This high-level panel on cooling will highlight the need for, and showcase progress on, adopting more energy efficient and climate-friendly refrigeration and air conditioners. An SEforALL senior representative is also expected to participate in this event.
13 Dec Thursday	11:30 Bug room	Essential Climate Solutions: Community-led Development, Renewable Energy and Cultural Heritage 'During the event the organizers will use the Talanoa Dialogue style to discuss how community-led solutions and cultural heritage can help to solve the challenges posed by' climate change and energy transition.
13 Dec Thursday	13:15-14:15 GEIDCO & DESA COP 24 Pavillion, E34	The Concept of “Modern Biomass” In African Renewable Energy Initiative’s Guiding Principles Moderator- Nnimmo Bassey - Health of Mother Earth Foundation   Speakers 1.Titilope Ngozi Akosa-Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st) 2.Liane Schalatek – GCF CSO Active Observer for Developed Countries 3.Kwami Kpondzo, Friends of the Earth International  4.Coraina de La Plaza – Global Forest Coalition
14Dec Friday	10:00-11:30 Panda Hub	Energy ACCESS coalition Practical Action, WWF, ACCESS coalition WWF and Practical Action have joined forces to present a variety of energy access best practices in the last mile area that contributes to scaling up sustainable energy access solutions, including their climate change direct benefits and co-benefits, undertaken by Civil Society Organizations in partnership with private sector and/or public governments. We will also be officially launching UPSCALE – ACCESS Coalition Learning Group - with an aim to accelerate the engagement of local and global civil society in reaching the last mile.
14 Dec Friday	12:00 – 13:00 SDG Pavilion E-34	Renewable energy providing opportunities for smallholder farmers to survive and thrive Organized by Practical Action with support from DESA

Further Information

• Official page of UNFCCC
• Here you can find an overview of the side events organized by SNV: www.snv.org/cop24
• Practical Action is involved in a number of events at COP this and next week, summarised on their website: https://policy.practicalaction.org/cop24