22 September 2014: The Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) high-level event, titled ‘Implementing Sustainable Energy for All,’ featured high-level multi-stakeholder panels on financing SE4ALL, investing in energy efficiency, accelerating innovation in renewable energy, and scaling up at the country level.

The High-Level Event ‘Implementing Sustainable Energy for All’ and the Launch of the Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform took place on 22 September 2014, in New York, US. Organized by the SE4ALL initiative, the two events preceded the UN Climate Summit 2014, scheduled to take place on 23 September 2014, at the same venue.

In addition, during a press conference convened on ‘Mobilizing Finance to Halve Energy Poverty,’ speakers previewed commitments being announced in the context of the UN Climate Summit to finance access for hundreds of millions of people to clean energy services. Speakers also introduced a plan being developed under SE4ALL, in partnership with commercial and development banks, to raise US$120 billion to address energy poverty and promote sustainable energy solutions.

Also during the press briefing, Power Africa (US) and SE4ALL signed a cooperation agreement, which, according to US Government Coordinator for Power Africa and Trade Africa, Andrew M. Herscowitz, is expected to “galvanize additional partnerships to further attract private sector interest in increasing access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa.” The agreement is also expected to “mobilize African leaders to advance regional energy transactions and expand individual country coordination.”

A high-level luncheon marked the official launch of the Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform, and recognized the countries, cities, companies, international organizations, and civil society partners participating in this initiative. Opening the event, Kandeh Yumkella, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and CEO, SE4ALL, underlined that the Platform is driven by the private sector.

Achim Steiner, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, stated that discussions on the sustainable energy agenda are shifting their focus from what cannot be done towards “regaining a sense of how we can shape the future.” He praised the Platform as an “extraordinary alliance” to accelerate action.

Chad Holliday, Chairman, Bank of America, underscored that energy efficiency is “the biggest source and opportunity” for renewable energy. Christian Friis Bach, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), stressed that regional economic commissions can provide norms, regulations and standards for energy efficiency.

Other speakers included: the Mayor of Thimphu, Bhutan; a sustainability expert from Milwaukee, US; the Mayor of Warsaw, Poland; a Chilean energy efficiency expert; a representative from Iskandar, Malaysia; a representative from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the Vice-Chancellor from TERI University in India. [IISD RS Coverage of the High-level Event]