17 June 2015: A workshop for post-Soviet and southern and eastern Mediterranean countries convened to discuss policies and investment conditions conducive to the development and transfer of energy efficiency, renewable energy and other low-carbon technologies. The workshop was organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), and hosted by the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

Over 60 policymakers and experts in the energy sector from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as from Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, convened from 15-16 June 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Workshop participants discussed energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, including in agriculture. According to the EBRD, on the sustainable use of energy, water and other resources, many of these countries often lag behind other economies with similar development levels. Thus, policymakers are looking at ways to adopt climate-friendly technologies across industries in these countries in order to enhance national energy security, improve natural resource management, reduce emissions and pollution, and stimulate sustainable economic development.

Şule Kılıç, EBRD, said that Turkey is working to overcome the challenge of an energy-intensive economy and stressed the importance of sustainable energy investments for wider economic progress. In this regard, the EBRD has set up a dedicated programme, ‘Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change’ (FINTECC), to support businesses in the region in adopting climate-friendly technologies. Part of the EBRD’s Sustainable Energy Initiative, FINTECC promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy, emission reductions and water efficiency technologies. It also offers technical and grants for companies to introduce new technologies, especially those with low market penetration and good demonstration effect. These technologies: increase profitability by reducing energy and water costs; decrease regulatory and supply risk through improved control of resource consumption and environmental impacts; improve reliability of operations; and reduce their carbon footprint. [EBRD Press Release] [FINTECC Factsheet]