Sustainable energy solutions in practice among countries in the Western Balkans

Robert Pasicko, PhD

UNDP Croatia

Renewable energy cooperation between the European Union and the Western Balkans Wednesday 10 December 2014, UN House Brussels

Energy challenges in WB

• Most countries spending 15-20% of GDP on energy

• Overdependence on fossil fuels

• Inefficient energy sector

• 35% of energy consumption in building sector

• Renewable energy – tremendous but untapped potential

• 10-25% households not able to keep their houses warm

• Several thousand families still lack electricity access

• Energy demand expected to rise 70% in next 20 years

Brundtland report („Our Common Future”, UN, 1987):

„There are not separate crises: an environmental

crisis, a development crisis, an energy crisis. They are all one, interlocking crise.“

Sustainable energy - single action bringing several results: Economic growth, environmental sustainability, slowing climate change, human development and poverty reduction

Investment barriers in sustainable energy in WB

• Governments still prioritize centralized energy sector based on fossil fuels

• Complicated and non-transparent license and permit processes are discouraging investments

• Capital scarcity for investments (expensive lending)

• Grid access – often prioritized to chosen projects

• Subsidies for fossil fuels

• Monopolistic energy markets

• Limited experience with RES or EE

• Political instability and country risk

EU energy policy in Western Balkans

2020 targets addressed through commitments to EU targets (for Member States) and Energy Community targets (for others):

- binding share of renewable energy until 2020;

- energy savings target;

- emission reduction targets.

• 2030 EU targets will be addressed in the future:

– 27% RES, 27% EE, 40% CO2 reduction

SE4ALL in WB

SE4ALL – global targets for 2030:

• Universal Access to Modern Energy Services

• Doubling the Rate of Improvement in Energy Efficiency

• Doubling the Share of Renewable Energy in Global Energy Mix

What is UNDP doing in WB countries?

EU 2020 and 2030 targets

(the same as EU!)

UNDP activities in WB

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).

UNDP role in the region

• Creating an environment for investments;

• Catalyzing investment in sustainable energy;

• De-risking by strengthening policy, institutional and regulatory frameworks;

• Stakeholder engagement and working from grassroots level to policy making level;

• Policies and/or strategies; action plans; roadmaps

• Awareness rising, education;

• Special focus on vulnerable and excluded groups (women, rural area, disabled, Roma, poor…).

Delivering results

• Sharing and using best practices at the regional level (speeds up the implementation)

(example: EMIS implementation, shorter introduction)

• Job creation, reduced emissions and the improved energy access

• Sound partnership with all key stakeholders, assuming the responsibilities and ownership of the outcomes;

• UNDP works with the same partners and beneficiaries in the countries as EU

Thank you! For more info: robert.pasicko@undp.org