Ministers of Central Asia discuss Strategic Role of Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development

17 May 2006

Ministerial conference on the “Strategic Role of Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development in Central Asia” 17-19 May 2006, Almaty, Kazakshstan.
The conference focuses international attention on energy problems facing the rural population in Central Asia, with particular emphasis on the Aral Sea zone (Mainly Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia). Mr. Walter Erdelen, UNESCO Assistant Director General serves as chair for several sessions of the conference.

This event will target the use and application of renewable energy issues as an alternative option to respond to the energy needs in the specific region. The conference constitutes the first international forum on renewable energy to be hosted in Central Asia and only few activities have been undertaken in the region in this area in the region. The event will therefore represent an opportunity to define the renewable energy potential in the region, identify national and regional priorities, elaborate an action plan and define pilot projects. It will also help to mobilize international funding for concrete projects and stimulate increased partnership linkages for the implementation of joint renewable energy activities and programmes. The key objectives of this action are to:
• Enhance the understanding of renewable energy possibilities within the global energy system;
• Define the renewable energy potential in the region and define priorities both regional and national in this area:
• Review opportunities for development & funding of specific projects;
• Promote and harmonize co-operation in the industrial sector at the regional, inter-regional and international level;
• Promote the interaction between energy representatives international project financing specialists, managers, decision-makers and policy-makers as well as experts in the field from the countries and region concerned;
• Disseminate and promote information on the regional know-how and opportunities offered by the use and application of renewable energies in Aral Sea Zone;
• Launch a regional specialized network of expertise in this area.

Permanent link: http://en.unesco.kz/ministers-of-central-asia-discuss-strategic-role-of-renewable-energy-for-sustainable