22 May 2012: The fifth issue of the e-newsletter of the en.lighten initiative of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) highlights that the en.lighten Project Steering Committee endorsed the selection of 14 priority pilot countries, which will be supported in developing country-led efficient lighting transition strategies. Activities are set to commence in these pilot countries in June 2012.

The newsletter also notes the launch of the UNEP Collaborating Centre for Energy Efficient Lighting in Beijing, China. The Centre provides lighting training, laboratory knowledge, quality control assistance and capacity building support. According to en.lighten, the centre was established to promote the rapid development of energy efficient lighting technologies around the world.

The newsletter also includes updates on progress of efficient lighting projects launched in the Russian Federation and the Philippines. Both initiatives aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by improving energy efficiency related to lighting.

The newsletter also features the new en.lighten online global policy map which provides an overview of energy efficient lighting policies for countries around the world. Each country is ranked according to its policy development and information ratings will be regularly updated according to a country’s progress in achieving a sustainable transition to efficient lighting.

en.lighten is an initiative funded by the GEF, in partnership with UNEP, leading global lighting manufacturers (Philips and OSRAM), and the National Lighting Test Centre (NLTC), to accelerate market transformation of efficient lighting technologies on a global scale. [Publication: en.lighten May 2012 Newsletter]