International cooperation and partnerships are essential to accelerate universal access, renewable energy and energy efficiency development in Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), said participants at a high-level seminar held in Vienna this week.
The event, held from 24 to 25 October, was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in collaboration with the UN Office of High Representative for Least Developed Countries Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, and the Government of Austria.“This seminar provided participants with an opportunity to exchange on experiences and best practices, and
find solutions to achieving the goals of Sustainable Energy for All by 2030 in LLDCs,” said Taizo Nishikawa, the Deputy to the Director General of UNIDO.
Because of geographical factors, the level of development in the LLDCs is, on average, 20 per cent lower than what it would be if the countries were not landlocked. This affects their capability to structurally transform toward “green” circular economies and to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Senior representatives from the 32 LLDCs, international organizations, financial institutions, academia, NGOs and the private sector discussed the potential contribution of innovative South-South and North-South partnerships and regional cooperation to develop energy infrastructure, scale-up energy access, promote renewable energy and improve energy efficiency in the LLDCs.
LLDC delegates encouraged UNIDO to consolidate and expand the global network of regional sustainable energy centres and the network for resource efficient and cleaner production to all LLDCs; promote sustainable energy entrepreneurship, industrial development and innovation in LLDCs in line with the recent G20 Initiative on Supporting Industrialization in Africa and Least Developed Countries; and to expand the programme on energy management standards for industries and small and medium enterprises to all LLDCs. They also suggested further strengthening the function of the biennial Vienna Energy Forum as a North-South and South-South exchange platform for sustainable energy entrepreneurs, start-ups and manufacturing and service companies from developed and LLDCs.
Source: unido.org
