Energy for Life is an awareness raising three year initiative that aims to convince stakeholders and the public at large that making a commitment to Renewable Energies (REs) is an investment in the future of Europe and Developing Countries (DCs).
Energy for Life initiative is taking place in 9 countries: Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Malta, Brazil, Tanzania, Laos and Cambogia. The objective is to create a common conscience on the opportunities and benefits linked to a large use of the renewable energy sources and on the problems caused by the shortage of carbon fossil and climate change.
The project intends to promote deeper understanding of the linkages between energy and development issues such as poverty, gender, urbanization, health, livelihoods and economic development. Besides it will inform about Energy concerns in developing countries enabling frameworks and policies that promote REs.
Given the importance of sharing experiences and working together to achieve common objectives, the project will bring together stakeholders in Europe and DCs by promoting a communication program that will strengthen North-South and South-South exchange and collaboration on energy issues of common interest.
Communication and educational initiatives will be a vital part of raising awareness on sustainable energy issues. Partners will work for a better understanding of the European general public about sustainable energy options in a global dimension, available modes of implementation in developing countries, local resources required as well as carbon reduction and offset measures.
The project is based on the consideration that the global energy demand is stably increasing and it aims to highlight the strong interdependence between Europe and Developing countries about energy issues as their behavior influence both energy’s economics costs, that will increase by 60% within 2030 due to an additional demand, and environmental costs related to non-renewable energy consume. Energy is a necessary resource for countries to develop and increase their living standard, but, while European countries growth has been based on fossil fuels, indicated as the responsible for global warming, DCs have now to face the environmental challenge: to reduce poverty without further polluting the planet. By implementing this hard task DCs should be uphold in the use of alternative source of energy as it has been addressed by the international community (Earth Summit – Agenda 21,1992 and Kyoto Protocol, 1997). This attention to the environmental thread strengthens the tight relation between energy and development, issue that from the beginning of the 1990s became a priority in development programs (UNDP initiative for Sustainable Development, 1995).
The Energy for Life campaign is directed to the European public at large through:
1) networking, research and internal communication activities targeting NGOs, local authorities and companies operating in energy, development and/or environment sectors;
2) communication campaign and education/entertainment activities targeting civil society organizations, schools and youth, media and journalists, and the general public.
The action will assess the great potential role of Renewable Energies as sustainable development tool, both in Europe and developing countries, to face depletion of earth’s natural resources, poverty increase and climate change.
In particular, the project will involve a wide range of partners (4 European partners, 4 local partners from Africa, South-America and Asia, 2 European universities, 1 research institute, 1 public institution) to create a platform for information exchange and knowledge dissemination. The collaboration with local partners in DCs will help to analyze the impact of REs projects in reaching the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) while the sharing of best strategies in terms of innovative practices, policy and institutional reforms, means of policy implementation, and evaluation of financing options will inspire co-operation projects which incorporate REs technologies for sustainable development.
Energy For Life will contribute to expand information about REs in terms of cost saving and environmental protection, encouraging the direct information exchange among citizens through the web portal forum and public events.