8 October 2014: The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) has reported on events and a project focusing on energy efficiency at national, sub-regional and regional levels, as well as on the future of energy in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region.

An event organized in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 12 September 2014, marked the launch of the ‘Regional Energy Efficiency Program,’ as part of the ‘Toward a New Regional Energy Agenda’ initiative of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), the Organization of American States (OAS) and six other partners. The Program is aimed at developing a more robust energy efficiency project market for the region, and includes a list of steps for each partner institution, such as development of performance indicators and project inventories, training activities and the implementation of financing mechanisms.

On 25 September, ECPA held its third regional technical workshop, titled ‘Energy Efficiency Trends in the Use of Fossil Fuels,’ in Bogota, Colombia. The workshop, which was co-organized by OAS, through the ECPA Clearinghouse, and the Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy, brought together nearly 60 participants, largely from the private sector, to share information on progress and identify opportunities for contributing to the development of energy-efficient approaches in the transport sector. Topics featured included: political, regulatory and technical measures contributing to source diversification in the transport sector; private-sector experiences with electric taxis in Bogota; Colombia’s energy efficiency programme; energy efficiency in the industry sector; and financial strategies for implementing energy efficiency measures in the transport and industrial sectors. The workshop was part of a series of four regional workshops programmed by ECPA for the 2013-2014 period.

In another ECPA event, ministers and high-level energy authorities from the Caribbean convened in Miami, US, on 6 October, to discuss energy and climate change challenges, and prepare for an ECPA ministerial meeting, to be held in 2015. Participants highlighted, inter alia: high upfront costs of renewable energy; the need to shift to a more sustainable energy paradigm; and the importance of capacity building and strategic partnerships.

ECPA is a multilateral high-level initiative, established in 2009 by US President Barack Obama. The Partnership, which has resulted in a number of joint initiatives between participating governments, regional institutions, multilateral development banks and other partners, focuses on energy efficiency, renewable energy, cleaner and more efficient use of fossil fuels, energy poverty and infrastructure. The OAS serves as the ECPA Clearinghouse. [ECPA Energy Efficiency Program Press Release] [ECPA Technical Workshop Press Release] [ECPA Technical Workshop News Article] [ECPA Pre-Ministerial Meeting Press Release] [ECPA Website] [IISD RS Stories on ECPA]