Summary of NGO workshop on the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI), 10 Februarz 2016, Berlin

Transcription

1 Summary f NGO wrkshp n the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI), 10 Februarz 2016, Berlin Attendees: see list f participants Agenda: 1. Welcme and Intrductin 2. Presentatin n AREI 3. Small Grup Discussin and Cuntry Experience 4. Open Rund Discussin 5. Panel Discussin 6. Wrap Up 1. Welcme and Intrductin The bjective f the wrkshp is t discuss experiences with regard t renewable energy in Africa and cnsider hw civil sciety culd engage n the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI). The wrkshp des nt aim t frmulate the psitin f the African civil sciety vis àvis AREI, but rather t prvide an pen space fr discussin that is t be fllwed by ther discussins in ther frums. The wrkshp was rganized by Bread fr the Wrld and Germanwatch in rder t take advantage f the fact that many African NGO representatives were already in Berlin fr ther meetings rganized by CAN. The tw hst rganizatins see their rle as prviding the infrastructure fr the meeting. What cmes ut f the wrkshp and hw the results are used afterwards lies in the hands f the participants. The meeting will be held under the Chatham Huse Rule: participants are free t use the infrmatin received, but neither the identity nr the affiliatin f the speaker(s), nr that f any ther participant, may be revealed. The suggested prgram is agreed by the participants, it includes fur sessins: 1. Sessin: intrductry presentatin n AREI and general questins 2. Sessin: small grups t discuss individual cuntry perspectives n AREI 3. Sessin: exchange and synthesis amng the bigger grup 4. Sessin: panel discussin with Frank Fess Metz, cmmissiner fr climate plicy and climate financing at the German Federal Ministry fr Ecnmic Cperatin and Develpment (BMZ) (via vide cnference) and Daniel Argyrpuls frm the Federal Ministry fr the Envirnment, Nature Cnservatin, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) Financial supprt fr the wrkshp is gratefully acknwledged frm Stiftung Mercatr and the German Federal Envirnment Agency (UBA) n behalf f the Federal Ministry fr the Envirnment (BMUB)

2 2. Intrductry Presentatin n AREI The intrductry presentatin began with a shrt mvie n AREI ( fllwed by sme slides similar t the nes available n the AREI website (Main pints included: There are a lt f energy related initiatives n the African cntinent, but many initiatives are dnr driven AREI is African driven and African led. AREI brings tgether tw crucial issues: 1. Energy access fr the cntinent AREI aims t ensure universal access t sufficient energy fr all Africans. 2. Climate change Africa cannt g dwn the same rad ther cuntries already did, as this wuld exceed the ttal glbal carbn budget The tw main gals f AREI are: 1. Ensuring universal access t sufficient amunts f clean, apprpriate and affrdable energy fr everyne 2. Allwing African ecnmies t leap frg t renewable energy based systems AREI wants t reach at least 300 GW f new and additinal installed capacity fr the African cntinent by 2030, with an initial 10 GW by This is duble f the current installed capacity. Capacity Numbers are pwerful t set targets, but can als prvide incentives in the wrng directin imprtant t stress the qualitative targets f AREI, nt just get t a GW figure as quickly as pssible by adding up a few larger prjects Guiding principles f AREI AREI shuld cntribute t achieving sustainable develpment in Africa It must address the entire African cntinent and benefit all 54 cuntries It shuld bst intra reginal cperatin It can prmte all kinds f renewable energy technlgies It can prmte the full range f renewable electricity applicatins, as well as nn electrical frm f energy Key Features f AREI Cuntry wnership Enhanced private and public sectr engagement Multi stakehlder participatin and scial and envirnmental safeguards Smart, mdern distributed renewable energy systems f the future Transfrmative and prgrammatic apprach AREI needs t be carried by civil sciety, s that the ambitius and transfrmative principles d nt remain wrds n a piece f paper Civil sciety need t ensure that AREI means distributed, decentralised, peple centred energy systems f the future These energy systems als require better awareness amngst the ppulatin thus, educatin is anther imprtant rle fr civil sciety, nt just watchdg rle AREI Activities Cre activities:

3 Mapping f RE plicies, regulatins, experience and prgrammes (cmprehensive review prcess) Strengthen plicies, regulatins etc. Capacity building, mbilisatin and partnership fstering acrss stakehlders at all levels Finance & funding Prject develpment and supprt Crss cutting activities: Scial ecnmic develpment and envirnmental technlgy Multi Stakehlder engagement Wider cntext mnitring and screening Cmmunicatins and Outreach Gvernance structure f AREI Strategic level: Gverning bard: high level, cnsisting f crdinatr f Cmmittee f African Heads f State and Gvernment n Climate Change (CAHOSCC), African Unin Cmmissin (AUC) Chairpersn, President f the African Ministerial Cnference n the Envirnment (AMCEN), AfDB Operatinal level: Steering cmmittee; set pririties, bjectives, milestnes Technical level Technical secretariat / delivery unit; independent, but hsted by AfDB The initiative gained a lt f plitical supprt frm the Suth as well as frm the Nrth (e.g., G7 Summit 2015) Types f activities supprted thrugh AREI: Supprtive activities and peratins (studies, assessment) Incentives and investment supprt (feed in tariffs, payment guarantee) Supprtive activities aligned with AREI but directly pursued by cuntries r ther institutins (studies, assessment, plicy guidance) Incentives and investment supprt aligned with AREI but directly pursued by cuntries r ther institutins Enabling activities funding prmting enabling activities under the Africa RE initiative framewrk Issues that will be imprtant as AREI is being shaped:: Gvernance, civil sciety participatin and African wnership Cmmunity pwer Safeguards and risks Timing Prjects vs prgrammes Mnitring/tracking Participatry appraches

4 Narrative and framing Implicatins in ther asectrs and UNFCC In all f these issues, civil sciety has an imprtant rle t play t ensure that this initiative des what we want it t d. Nw is the time t engage! Discussin and Open Questins Hw can African civil sciety engage meaningfully? Develp a shared visin Lbby their individual gvernments What can we learn frm failed appraches like the CDM? Hw can wie avid a race t the bttm in terms f prject quality, triggered by a cmpetitin ver investment and funding. Hw t ensure a balanced apprach (cuntry wise)? And hw t distribute benefits f the apprach fairly (e.g., rural/pr vs urban)? 10 GW in 4 years and 300 GW in 10 years Hw culd that wrk ut? Phase I has t build up the structure; this needs a lt f time; nce the structure is in place the implementatin f prjects will be a lt faster. Phase I has t create cnditins tur transfrmative change in the energy sectr, r Phase II gals cannt be reached, What is the share f public and private funding? Public funding is needed t kick ff investments, especially in areas/technlgies that d nt currently make ecnmic sense yet Hw culd the AREI driven by the African Unin be translated int natinal plicies? The natinal link culd be ne key task f African civil sciety, bringing this internatinal and cntinent wide initiative t the natinal level Hw culd capacities be develped (technical, but als human) in rder t avid dependency n freign technlgy and knwledge? (wnership by the cmmunity) 3. Small Grup Discussin n Cuntry Experiences Questins discussed in the grups: 1. Are renewable energies already being used in yur cuntries? 2. What are the barriers fr RE in yur cuntries? Hw culd AREI help? Cuntry / Regin Challenges AREI Suth Africa: Risks f tendering Access t technlgy Grid capacities Bring cst dwn fr Price f equipment small scale Jb creatin West African Cuntries Gvernance / vested interests Risk f mega dams: drught & nly electricity fr capital Lack f plitical will Supprt decentralizatin Supprt CSOs: e.g. thrugh studies n clean energy r n csts f dirty energy

5 Ethipia Traditinal bimass is the nly RE that is in use; it's nt empwering Mzambique Very lw electrificatin rate (ca. 80% withut access) Gvernments fcus n dirty energy Energy system has cmpletely failed (in terms f climate and energy access) Nrth has t prvide funding It s nt abut replacing an energy surce, but transfrming the whle energy system as reflected in the AREI principles) Uganda/ Tanzania RE nt strng in reginal plan (East Africa) Fcus nt n cmmunity access Fcus n natinal grid What is needed are capacities, bth n the side f the gvernment, but als n the side f civil sciety Crss cntinental (Kenya, Nigeria, Mauritius) N RE plicies Sme cuntries have strng RE agency Supprt CSO t challenge shrt term plicies Step by step assessments (e.g. plicies) Start with assessment f ecnmic viability f RE als fr prductive uses, empwering cmmunities AREI assessment culd be a huge cntributin understand hw REs culd empwer peple, especially wmen n the grass rts level Climate justice & energy justice Principles: Nrth needs t prvide mney fr clean energy access, energy svereignty. dn't nly change energy, but energy systems needs t be cmmunity wned Internatinal cperatin shw what wrks elsewhere Capacity building supprt Capacity building fr cmmunities/ lcal gvernments Supprt jb creatin & new industries

6 Nrth Africa (Mrcc & Tunisia) Fcus n mega prjects N grid access fr cmmunity energy Little effrts n energy efficiency The state wned utility is a prblem in bth cuntries (mnply, n cmpetitin) Capacities are a prblem in Tunisia (technlgy & knwledge) Lack f participatin f cmmunities, esp. in Tunisia cnflicts with lcal cmmunities Mrcc has an energy efficiency law in place, but there are n incentives, bligatins; hence the law is nly n paper and nt enfrced Bth cuntries: n real cllabratin between the different respnsible ministries / agencies Facilitate learning + synergies acrss cuntries Gd as a cncept; cllabratin: learning frm the experience f ther cuntries; create synergies, build up capacities, technlgy transfer 4. Open Rund f Discussin Issues fr civil sciety t fcus n Assessment f existing initiatives and effrts: What has wrked, what has failed Assessment f stakehlders: Wh has what rle, pwer and interest in perating AREI Organizatin f a strategic meeting f CSOs in Africa t fster cllabratin and increase the frce f civil sciety Capacity building fr CSOs t enable them t get engaged and advcate fr RETs in Africa (e.g. imprved technical understanding) Representatin f CSOs in AREI gvernance and high level bard Mnitring and watchdg rle f CSOs Issues t discuss with German Gvernment Cncerns that Germany wuld exprt nuclear pwer technlgy t Nigeria Cncern that Germany wuld nly perceive the African cntinent as a market t bring in German business and gain private prfits ( investment pprtunity / expansin f the market fr German cmpanies ) Germany shuld encurage feed in tariffs and the pssibilities fr cnsumers t becme electricity prducers Expect civil sciety engagement/participatin in AREI Supprt lcal cmmunities fr prject develpment, peratin and mnitring AREI shuld be prgrammatic rather than prjectbased

7 Creating a new narrative fr RE and develpment fr Africa: affrdable, accessible, healthy and ecnmically beneficial Advcacy fr RE at the natinal level: advcate fr RE laws, natinal prcesses & plans with strategic hlistic glbal picture Wrk n sub natinal gvernments Linkage f INDC cmmitments t RE targets and new energy plicy framewrks Psitin making f CSOs n RE and AREI at the natinal and the cntinental level (cmmn psitin paper/dcument) Cllabrate with ther cntinents/nn African cuntries t establish a strategic apprach n lw carbn develpment and exchange best practices Discuss and develp safeguards/grievance mechanisms and clear eligibility criteria Cllabratin with natinal gvernments t help them implementing RE prjects Mnitring AREI s it lives up t its prmises and is held accuntable fr its targets (i.e., ending energy pverty) Mnitring financial flws t address duble cunting issues Calitin n a just transitin t renewable energy shuld be an umbrella CSO alliance fr imprtant issues under the AREI Develpment f cmmunity driven RE prject prpsals Nrth Suth cperatin amng CSOs Push fr "leave the fssils in the grund" campaigns Agree n and identify multiple stakehlders, calitin n just transitin and RE Assessment f existing effrts Supprt & strengthen CSOs (capacities, finance, wrk plans) Welcme supprt f civil sciety t AREI, but prvide als funding fr CSOs t wrk n RE Emphasize that the African civil sciety is in favr f RE but nly if the African cntinent benefits frm the technlgies (danger f imprt dependence n freign technlgies) Distributin f benefits/fair share What are the 10 billin dllars? Is it new r additinal mney? Cming frm lans, grants, trust funds? Des it include leveraging private mney? Are the pledged 3 billin new and additinal? Make sure that the pledged mney really is new and additinal What is the German psitin n safeguards? Advcate fr a strategic nt a prject centered apprach in AREI Enable CSOs t implement cmmunity based & clean prjects (lng term supprt) What makes the initiative unique and different t thers? Assessment f threats and challenges s the initiatives des nt end up like ther initiatives that were cnsidered "t big t fail" 10 GW by 2020, hw d we achieve this target? Oppse dirty ptins (fssil fuels) What abut Megadams? Participants agreed n the fllwing three next steps:: Organizatin f a strategic meeting f CSOs in Africa t fster cllabratin and increase the frce f civil sciety Psitin making f CSOs n RE and the AREI at the natinal and the cntinental level: develping a cmmn psitin paper Develping a functining mdel f Nrth Suth cperatin amng CSOs n AREI

8 5. Panel Discussin A panel discussin was held with representatives frm the tw cmpetent German ministries: Federal Ministry fr the Envirnment, Nature Cnservatin, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and Federal Ministry fr Ecnmic Cperatin and Develpment (BMZ) Intrductry remarks Few weeks befre the G7 Summit in Elmau, Germany (2015) Chancellr Merkel received the paper n AREI, AREI has been intrduced in G7 Summit within days and fund wide supprt There have been several meetings with African partners, AREI is an African led initiative and nt an idea f G7 Germany is the largest cntributr t AREI The G7 pledge is t supprt AREI thrugh existing supprt channels like GEF (Glbal Envirnment Facility), Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) at the Wrld Bank, Green Climate Fund (GCF) Official launch f AREI n COP 21 Nw discussin with African partners t mve in the establishment phase Intentin is t start as sn as pssible with implementatin Imprtant t have in mind that the achievement f 300 GW is nly pssible if different funding surces are available. The private sectr als needs t be apprached Discussin: Questins: Africa is such a huge cntinent. Hw t ensure a fair distributin f benefits (investment, technlgies, capacities etc.) amng African cuntries? Are cal and nuclear an ptin? What is the share f private / public funding? Hw culd Germany facilitate capacity building fr CSOs? Answers: Cncerning rle f different cuntries:: The cuntries situatins differ a lt; therefre there will be different kinds f participatin in AREI Given the timeframe fr Phase I (4 years), cuntries that are ready nw, will gain the mst attentin in the shrt term; this might wrk as an incentive fr ther cuntries t implement, e.g., RE targets The apprach is nt t exclude any cuntry, hwever cuntries wh lack the sufficient regulatry envirnment will mst likely nt attract many investrs Prjects must be technically and ecnmically sustainable, while scial issues must be cnsidered A functining planning system with participatin f lcal cmmunities must be in place ne pssibility cmmunity prjects were the cmmunites where the prject is lcated are c wners f the prject and receive a certain amunt f the revenues generated

9 Cal and nuclear are n ptins Cncerning share f private / public funding: There will be a mix f public and private funding Small ff grid slutins may need mre public funding, large scale prjects that may be mre ecnmically viable need less public funding and will ften be viable with private investment As a whle, the deplyment f large scale prjects is easier, given als the timeframe There is a vast amunt f energy initiatives in Africa. AREI is nt there t duplicate what exists. It needs a thrugh mapping f initiatives that exist Public funding can financially kickstart, but then it requires ther surces t fill the gap There is pressure, because the gal t reach 10 GW until 2020 needs immediate implementatin The AREI is strng because it is African led and includes African wnership, but it is als rather led by the gvernment and there culd be mre invlvement f civil sciety Questins: Hw can the participatin f civil sciety be institutinalised? Hw des AREI differ frm ther initiatives? Hw can we make this cntinental initiative wrk, als n a reginal level? Hw can we make AREI really be peple rientated, nt nly in thery but in practice? Answers: Specific character f AREI is that the initiative is African led and wned, specific targets and the supprt f the G7 CSO inclusin is (until nw) a weak pint f the initiative as it is strngly gvernment driven; CSO culd figure ut and assess what culd wrk (in terms f prjects) and what will nt; the rle f CSOs culd be t develp envirnmental and scial safeguards; watchdg functins (e.g reducing risks f crruptin); push fr natinal energy plicies The questin is hw t deal with different grups f cuntries that are at different stages. The initiative can demnstrate that cuntries, which have gd framewrks in place, benefit frm RE develpment. This can be an incentive fr thse cuntries, which need t catch up and AREI shuld als supprt thse cuntries wh d nt yet have the framewrk t develp it. AREI cannt push fr certain plicies r their implementatin. This needs t cme frm the natinal gvernment. This is what African wnership shuld be. Pressure needs t cme frm the cuntry itself Questin: Hw t make sure that nt nly the cnsumptin centres benefit, but als rural areas with prer ppulatin? Answers: There will be n strng centralized gvernance structure in place

10 Priritizatin f prjects, e.g., rural vs urban, has t cme frm the cuntries themselves; hwever, ne may can prvide incentives, e.g., fr decentralized prjects, t make them mre attractive 5. Wrap up Participants agreed n the fllwing utcmes: A Wrking Grup was frmed, cnsisting f the fllwing members: 1. Augustine Njamnshi (PACJA, Camern) 2. Said Chakri (CAN Arab Wrld, Mrcc) 3. Aissatu Diuf (ENDA, Senegal) 4. Gdwin Oj (EarthRights Internatinal, Nigeria) 5. Isaac Kabng ( Eclgical Christian Organizatin, Uganda) 6. Sixbert Mwanga ( Tanzania Climate Change Alert and Resilience, Tanzania) 7. Marlene Nyanserema (Institute fr Envirnment and Water Management, Kenya) 8. Bris Schinke (Germanwatch, Germany) The grup will wrk t rganize a strategy meeting f CSOs in Africa. Such a meeting culd e.g. Be held in April in cnjunctin with pre AMCEN NGO meetings rganized by PACJA. The grup shuld als make a mapping f ther African actrs wh shuld be included in that meeting and the prcesses ging frward. The grup will als begin wrk n a visin/psitin dcument by CSOs. The first drafts shuld be ready fr the strategy meeting and the final paper at sme pint during this year Participants stressed the needs fr mre Nrth Suth cllabratin n this issue amng NGOs.The Nrthern and Internatinal NGOs present at the wrkshp (CAN Internatinal, Germanwatch, Bread fr the Wrld) underlined their willingness t supprt their Suthern partners by taking African demands t the dnr gvernments and internatinal prcesses and by prviding resurces if pssible, based n specific requests. Ntes frm the wrkshp and a participant list with cntact details will be shared with all participants This wrkshp was cnvened by: Germanwatch and Bread fr the Wrld Financially supprted by: German Federal Envirnment Office n behalf f Federal Ministry fr Envirnment and Stiftung Mercatr