22 March 2013: The March 2013 newsletter of the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative highlights regional consultations on energy in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, partnerships under the High Impact Opportunity (HIO) on sustainable biofuels and the HIO on Energy and Women’s Health, and new publications and upcoming events.

The newsletter reports on regional consultations in Cambodia, Tanzania and Mexico that were held in the framework of the Global Consultation on Energy in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The results of these consultations will be discussed at a high-level meeting in Oslo, Norway on 9 April. The meeting is expected to produce final recommendations on energy in the post-2015 framework and potential global energy objectives.

The newsletter further features an article on the leading role of Novozymes, a bioinnovation company, in the HIO on sustainable biofuels and its contribution to SE4ALL’s goal of doubling the global share of renewable energy by 2030. The newsletter emphasizes Novozymes’ Cleanstar project in Mozambique, in which the company invests in ensuring the sustainability of all steps of the supply chain for biofuels.

The newsletter also highlights the naming of Laura Stachel, founder of We Care Solar, as CNN Hero for 2013. This non-profit organization, which is a member of SE4ALL’s Practitioner Network and contributor to SE4ALL’s HIO on Energy and Women’s Health, has developed a portable solar device to power basic medical equipment.

The newsletter also focuses attention on: the UN Headquarters’ building, which since May 2012 is using electricity generated by wind energy through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs); the publication of the Poor People’s Energy Outlook (PPEO) 2013 by Practical Action in cooperation with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), which focuses on energy for community services such as health, education and public infrastructure; the upcoming Fourth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM4) in New Delhi, India, on 17-18 April 2013; and the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) support for SE4All by addressing energy poverty in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. [Publication: Sustainable Energy for All Newsletter, March 2013] [IISD RS Reporting Story the launch of the Global Consultation on Energy] [IISD RS Reporting on CEM4] [IISD RS Reporting on upcoming High Level Meeting on Energy as part of the post-2015 global development agenda consultation process]