Caribbean politicians meet to address energy access
PRESS BRIEFING
WHEN? Saturday 14 March between 0900 and 1100
WHERE? The Grand Coastal Inn Hotel, Plantation Le Ressouvenir, ECD, Georgetown, Tel: + 592 220 1091.
WHY?The e-Parliament – an organisation which specialises in spreading good ideas for legislation around the world - is bringing together a number of legislators from throughout the Caribbean to discuss energy priorities in the era of climate change. The 15-20 politicians from many different Caribbean countries will be addressed by experts on renewable energy - wind, solar, geothermal and biomass – and they will hear about the policy options which they could pursue when they return to their home parliaments.
This process has been shown to work: the Guyana hearing, which is funded by the EU and the Swedish Development Agency (Sida), is the 15th in the e-Parliament’s history, and earlier hearings have contributed to legislation being introduced both in African and Asian countries.
President Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Sam Hinds have expressed great interest in this hearing. Prime Minister Hinds will be making a presentation to the legislators. President Jagdeo has said that he may also attend.
WHO? At 9 o’clock the hearing will begin and journalists will have the chance to attend the opening session. The assembled legislators will be addressed by Joseph Williams, programme manager for energy at Caricom and Jesper Grolin, executive director of the e-Parliament. The legislators will then introduce themselves and talk briefly about their own experiences of climate change.
Following this session, there will be a 30-minute break during which the press will have the chance to talk informally with the politicians and expert speakers. These expert speakers will give presentations during the two-day hearing on the following subjects:
- Dr Neville Trotz, CARICOM Climate Change Center will summarise the findings of the latest IPCC report as well as other pertinent research.
- Dr. Indra Haraksingh, University of the West Indies - will compare the particular strengths of solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and hydro power for the Caribbean.
- Kerry McDonald, West Indies Power Limited – on current, planned and potential applications of geothermal energy throughout the region.
- Trevor Byer, Independent Energy Consultant (formerly of the World Bank) Sub-Regional Clusters and Pathways to Regional Energy Integration in the Caribbean.
- Joseph Williams, Programme Manager for Energy, CARICOM and the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme (CREDP) and Beyond – on a unique scheme for financing renewable energy projects across the region, and mainstreaming of renewables into CARICOM energy policy.
- Stefan Schurig, Director of Climate and Energy, World Future Council, - on creating strong markets for renewable energy by using policy instruments such as feed-in tariffs that encourage private investment in renewable energy.
- Kevin Deveaux, Parliamentary Development Policy Adviser for the UNDP, - on how the world’s elected politicians can help move the agenda forward.
MORE INFORMATION? For information about the hearing, please contact Jasper Bouverie at mailto:Jasper.Bouverie@e-parl.net or tel: +44-1233-812037. In the two days leading up to the hearing, he will be able to put you in touch with colleagues and experts in Guyana.
For more information about the e-Parliament, please consult the e-Parliament website.
Please visit http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm for details of the European Commission’s aid programme.
Please visit www.sida.org for details of the Swedish Development Agency.
  The e-Parliament would like to thank the European Union and the Swedish Development Agency (SIDA) for funding this project.This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union and SIDA. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the e-Parliament and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
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