“The Moment to Accelerate the Energy Transition is Now!”

‘A quicker and more equitable energy transition is in reach—not only for high-income countries where carbon reduction is the priority, but also for the developing and emerging world where a green energy transition can expand inclusive economic opportunities and provide access to energy that powers job creation and boosts livelihoods for hundreds of millions of low-income people.’ This is the view of the newly launched Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP). As the world reflects on the commitments made in Glasgow and looks ahead to Sharm El-Sheikh where the Conference of Parties will meet again, it is clear that unprecedented partnerships and bold commitments with rapid follow-through are needed if the world hopes to achieve the Paris Agreement. The clock is ticking. An analysis by the GEAPP made clear that while energy poor countries contribute to 25 per cent of global CO2 emissions, their share of global emissions could grow to 75 per cent by 2050. Yet these countries currently receive just 20 per cent of clean energy financing, despite representing nearly half of the world’s population. In 2009, at COP15 in Copenhagen, wealthy countries agreed to scale-up their level of support to mobilize $100 billion per year by 2020, but this climate finance pledge has not been realized. The continued underinvestment in developing countries’ energy transitions is due to myriad reasons and international investors point to investment, off-taker, foreign exchange, and contract risks, among other challenges in the enabling environments of emerging markets’ renewable energy sectors. The Alliance’s view is that these issues can be addressed. To learn more about the GEAPP’s vision and mission for 2022 and beyond, we asked Sundaa Bridgett-Jones, Chief Partnerships & Advocacy Officer, five questions.

Can you tell us more about the ambition and the partners that have come together to form the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP)?

The Alliance aims to accelerate an inclusive energy transition, which can serve as an on-ramp for human opportunity for families and communities everywhere. For the first time in history, advancements in energy technology allow us to achieve an inclusive energy transition that reduces emissions while also dramatically expanding energy access for populations that have long been excluded. This means that today, an accelerated energy transition that creates good, green jobs is within our reach.

As an alliance we’ve set out to achieve some bold targets. The Alliance aims to avoid and avert 4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases. We aim to extend sustainable, reliable, productive-use energy to 1 billion underserved people and, by implementing renewable energy solutions across industries in emerging and developing economies, and have the potential to enable 150 million green jobs that generate inclusive economic growth.

We will achieve these goals by delivering transformational programmes in 60+ priority countries together with philanthropic, government, donor, multilateral development bank, development finance institution, and private sector partners.