April 2014: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has released a synthesis of the energy issues highlighted in 60 national reports prepared for the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The synthesis is intended to aid the implementation of Rio+20 goals and commitments by identifying lessons and best practices across regions.

The results of the synthesis appear in a report titled ‘Synthesis of Energy-Related Issues Highlighted in National Reports of Rio+20,’ which emphasizes the importance of energy for sustainable development and, in particular, the three focal areas of the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative.

The synthesis finds that while each country faces unique challenges and historical circumstances, most agree that “fragmented approaches must give way to inclusive processes that bring together sectoral and central government agencies in the formulation of development plans and in their implementation.” It observes, however, that an array of obstacles oppose the timely planning and implementation of integrated energy policies for sustainable development.

The report concludes that integrated national planning requires a shift in institutional structures and political frameworks, which remain oriented around individual sectors and, in particular, the supply and demand of fossil fuels. Based on the country reports, the synthesis identifies a range of options for making this shift, including: capacity development for government planners; maps of domestic energy resources; economic and social data, for instance, on gender and fuel use; increased conservation and energy efficiency; and stronger political will. [Publication: Synthesis of Energy-Related Issues Highlighted in National Reports of Rio+20]