September 2012: The September issue of the en.lighten newsletter on efficient lighting for developing and emerging countries highlights the launch of the new en.lighten toolkit, titled “Achieving the Transition to Energy Efficient Lighting.” The toolkit offers a centralized resource for providing guidance for countries to transform their markets to efficient lighting.

The newsletter also features articles on new country lighting assessments, a new global policy map, and Japan’s advances in light emitting diode (LED) lighting.

The newsletter indicates that new Country Lighting Assessments for 150 countries were released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners at a press conference held during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) in June 2012. The new, second generation Country Lighting Assessment estimates the significant energy, financial and carbon dioxide savings potential of phasing out incandescent lighting through more comprehensive efforts involving energy efficient lighting in the residential, commercial/industrial and outdoor lighting sectors.

In other news, Japan is highlighted as a leading center for the research development and manufacture of high quality LED lamps. This follows on from challenges resulting from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Japan is working to address the resulting electrical supply shortage by accelerating the marketing and promotion of new LED lamps in all markets sectors.

The en.lighten initiative is a partnership between UNEP, OSRAM AG, Philips Lighting and the National Lighting Test Centre, which is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). [Publication: en.Lighten Newsletter Issue 6]