By Reuters Media Express
OFID and WPC lead launch of "Oil and Gas Industry Energy
Access Platform"
to support universal energy access by 2030.
to support universal energy access by 2030.
On March 23, 2016 (Vienna, Austria) - Executives from major oil and gas companies and
strategic partners have joined together with the OPEC Fund for International
Development (OFID) and the World Petroleum Council (WPC) to launch an "Oil
and Gas Industry Energy Access Platform (EAP)."
Designed
within the context of the UN multi-stakeholder Sustainable Energy for All
initiative, the EAP will directly support the achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG7 on universal access to sustainable
energy.
OFID and WPC
are joined by representatives from TOTAL S.A., Shell International B.V., The
Global LPG Partnership, The International Gas Union and Shell Foundation, and
several others. Other industry players are expected to join the initiative in
due course.
OFID
Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish described the launch of the EAP as a
"defining moment for both OFID and for the members of the oil and gas
industry who join us, as we propel the effort to ensure access to affordable,
reliable, sustainable, modern energy for all."
He said that the EAP offered a
two-fold benefit, giving members the chance to both help the poor and steer the
industry in a positive direction. "The EAP will also be a catalyst for meaningful
action for other oil and gas companies, development financial institutions, and
the private sector to follow," he added.
OFID has been working to harness
the support of the oil and gas industry in eradicating energy poverty since
being mandated to do so by its Member Countries in November 2007. A huge effort
is still needed to address the needs of the 1.1 billion people lacking
electricity access and the 2.9 billion people still using firewood for cooking
and heating.
Dr. József Toth, President of the
World Petroleum Council, highlighted what the oil and gas industry can bring to
the platform. "By sharing practical knowledge, projects and solutions with
each other, we can leverage the expertise and capabilities of our industry as
key parts of the energy sector to enhance the lives of billions of people who
lack access to modern energy options," he stressed.
The EAP will provide a space for
oil and gas companies to collaborate with other stakeholders on a range of
specific actions focused on energy access, including the identification of
corporate social responsibility opportunities in host countries, and the better
integration of energy access in policies and projects at country level.
The full launch statement is
reproduced below.
EAP launch statement:
Energy has finally achieved its
rightful position at the center of the global development agenda. The new set
of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were approved in September 2015, had
among them SDG7: "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and
modern energy for all." This will address the needs of the 1.1 billion
people lacking electricity access and the 2.9 billion people still using
firewood for cooking and heating by providing them with access to safer and
more efficient modern energy options, including renewable energy.
Sustainable Energy for All
(SE4All), launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2011 with objectives now
echoed in SDG7, is an implementation platform bringing together partners across
the public and private sectors and civil society. It is supported by many
entities, including the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and the
World Petroleum Council (WPC), all of whose actions will be key in achieving
SDG7.
The oil and gas industry is
willing to play an important role in energy poverty alleviation, and its
concerted efforts can become a positive contribution to the proposed SDGs as
well as the objectives of SE4All. The industry is in a unique position to use its
resources-in particular its technical expertise and growing knowledge around
modern energy-to develop creative solutions for providing improved access to
energy and to create opportunities for replicating and scaling up investments
aimed at achieving sustainable energy for all, working together with other
stakeholders, including development funds, governments, civil society, business
developers and other industry initiatives.
Members of the oil and gas industry are supporting a range
of activities to tackle the social challenges of their host communities, as
part of a broader commitment to sustainable development, and this includes an
increased focus on addressing energy poverty. This is important particularly in
developing countries, as access to affordable, modern energy is critical to foster
local economic development.
To this end, the OPEC Fund for International Development
(OFID), the World Petroleum Council (WPC), TOTAL S.A. and Shell International
B.V., with support and expertise from Global LPG Partnership, the UK-based
charity Shell Foundation, and the Boston Consulting Group are launching an Oil
and Gas Industry Energy Access Platform (EAP) to contribute to the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, specifically SDG7. By bringing the members of the oil
and gas industry and supporting actors together to highlight their contribution
to SDG 7, the platform is also addressing the other SDGs, as energy directly
links to every adopted goal and to 56 out of the 169 targets.
The EAP will harness the enormous potential of the industry
and build upon its leadership, technology and highly relevant business
experience. At the same time, the EAP will provide a platform for the oil and
gas companies to collaborate with other stakeholders on specific actions
focused on energy access, namely:
- Share best practices, data and disseminate knowledge about energy access solutions, in particular where these solutions accelerate progress towards SDG7.
- Leverage industry capabilities to support access to energy, including modern energy and efficient solutions.
- Help the industry in identifying corporate social responsibility opportunities in host countries, and harmonize robust, practical and cost-effective approaches for facing energy access challenges.
- Foster communication within industry about energy access solutions.
- Contribute to better integrate energy access in policies and projects at country level.
Contact: Irina Ilieva, [email protected]
Content provided by OFID via Reuters