Advancing Towards a Sustainable Energy in Eastern Caribbean States

The Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS), with the support of the European Union Energy Initiative – ACP-EU Energy Facility, is the executing agency for the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Program (CSEP) Project, in coordination with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM Secretariat), the Caribbean Electric Utility Association (CARILEC), and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). A significant component of the project involves facilitating the adoption of energy policies and legislation in seven Eastern Caribbean Island states pertaining to the market conditions for the development and use of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems by mitigating the barriers to their use.

To advance the sustainable energy agenda in Dominica and St. Lucia, the OAS will convene several gatherings on November 18-20, 2009 in Roseau and Castries with relevant government stakeholders, including the public utilities. The purpose of these gatherings will be to discuss the draft National Energy Policies (NEP) developed for both countries. In the case of Dominica, the NEP has been prepared by the GS/OAS with the support of Isada Consulting Group, a consultancy hired under the CSEP project. In St. Lucia, the NEP was drafted by the CREDP/GTZ Program and is being supported and modified by the CSEP project. More...

Payment for Ecosystem Services

To respond to trade-related capacity building development needs in the area of environmental management, the DSD is working towards improving market-based approaches to the conservation of biological diversity, through the support of Payment for Ecological Service Payments (PES). Innovative financial instruments for conservation including Payment for Ecological Services (PES) are increasingly used as tools to implement conservation policies at the national level. More... Payment for Ecosystem Services Database

The Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) supports OAS member States in the design and implementation of policies, programs and projects oriented to integrate environmental priorities with poverty alleviation, and socio-economic development goals. Translating sustainable development and environmental protection goals into concrete actions, DSD supports the execution of multiple-country projects in such diverse areas as integrated water management, renewable energy, natural Hazards-climate change adaptation and land use planning, biological diversity and environmental law and policy. The Department also supports transparency and Public Participation, as practical ingredients of good governance. More...

► OAS-DSD together with IUCN Commission on Environmental Law, held a dialogue of experts on “Soil Protection and the Sustainable Use of Soils. More...

► U.S. Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, invited Energy Ministers to the Energy and Climate Ministerial of the Americas in Washington, DC on April 15-16, 2010. More...

► OAS-DSD launches its Third Sustainable Energy Newsletter. More...

► DSD Environmental Law Chief speaks at National Workshop on Vulnerability to Climate Change at the Community Level in Jamaica. Agenda

► First announcement and call for abstracts for the International Conference “transboundary aquifers: Challenges and new directions” as part of ISARM and PCPP Programmes. More... l Registration form

 

► November, 18 to 24, 2009, Caribbean. Advancing Towards a Sustainable Energy in Eastern Caribbean States. More...

► November, 13, 2009, Washington, D.C . Dialogue on Soil Protection and the Sustainable Use of Soils. More...