CEPAL - cooperacion

Antecedentes/ Details

Resumen / Abstract / Résumé:

The use of Sustainable Energy Technologies SETs (technologies enhancing energy efficiency, use of renewable energies, and essentially the sustainable use of biofuels) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has a significant potential to mitigate the adverse effects of the steady increase in energy use (particularly of fossil fuels) attributable to economic growth and to increasingly energy-intensive consumption patterns. Despite this potential -and at least two decades of discussions aimed at giving SETs a more prominent place in LAC- little progress has been accomplished. Yet sustainable development patterns cannot be fully incorporated into public policy unless SETs are integrated into energy policy. ECLAC studies have found that many countries of the region need to address considerable challenges and overcome institutional, political and economic barriers to achieve acceptable levels of sustainability in their energy policies. A majority of countries lack a strong institutional and regulatory platform required for medium/long term energy planning, as well as adequate mechanisms to coordinate policy across sectors. Overcoming these capacity constrains is key for the development of the biofuel industry, which requires strong coordination between energy, agriculture, environment and rural planning authorities to create the minimum conditions required to develop national biofuel production chains.

Objetivos / Objectives / Objectifs:

To strengthen the capacity of Latin American and Caribbean governments to design and implement sustainable energy policies for the production and use of biofuels.

Resultados / Results / Résultats:

EA1: Policy makers are provided with more comprehensive analysis for promoting sustainable production and use of biofuels.
EA2: Enhanced technical capacity in Latin American countries to design and apply policies for sustainable biofuel production and use to reduce poverty and mitigate global warming.
EA3: Increased regional collaborations to promote sustainable biofuel production through the creation of a Latin American Sustainable Biofuels Alliance, (LASBA).