Africa-Press – Eswatini. The European Union (EU), comprising of 27 European countries, is a huge supporter of green energy and a circular economy , and has extended support valued at E135 million towards agriculture value chains through sustainable and inclusive energy investments in Eswatini.
The support has gone a long way in strengthening the country’s efforts for increased investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency projects that benefit smallholder farmers, SMMEs, women, youth and people living in vulnerable situations.
This was said yesterday by EU Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Adam during a roundtable with about 20 practising and student environmental journalists, green activists, and youths at Emafini Lodge in Mbabane as part of the EU Climate Diplomacy Weeks.
The panel discussions also involved the Eswatini Environment Authority represented by Payday Langwenya, the Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority represented by Sihle Magagula, and Energy expert and lead consultant at MGM Sam Mzileni.
The roundtable was a collaboration between the European Union Delegation (EUD) and Yibutse Green Action NPO.
Also present was EUD Programmes Manager Jenny Brown.
Yibutse was represented by Executive Director Musa Ndlangamandla and Projects Coordinator Thembeka Dlamini.
The EU Climate Diplomacy Week is an annual global campaign launched by the European Union and its 27 Member States to foster cooperation on climate change and inspire real action.
The central theme for the EU Climate Diplomacy Week 2022 puts the emphasis on energy savings, energy efficiency and acceleration of renewables.
“Saving energy is the quickest and cheapest way to address the current energy crisis while scaling-up renewable energy and energy efficiency will give a boost to the green transition and reduce greenhouse gases while improving energy security,” said Adam.
He said in 2018, the EUD performed a market study in Eswatini with the following objectives:
• Study the market to assess the potential for a dedicated Electrification Financing Initiative (ElectriFI) window in the country;
• Identify capacity building needs;
• Recommend on fund size and structure.
“The market study recognised the potential for support from ElectriFI and recommended the launch of an Eswatini Country Window. Moreover, it identified capacity building needs and recommended support to smallholding farmers and farmer companies, public energy stakeholders (ministry of natural resources and energy, ESERA, and Eswatini Electricity Company) and financing institutions,” Adam said. He explained that the ElectriFI was a flagship initiative to promote investment in renewable energy and aims to:
• Achieve intensive mobilisation of the private sector in the business of increasing and/or improving access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for populations living principally in rural and underserved areas, as well as areas affected by unreliable power supply;
• Encourage more actions in the field of renewable energy with emphasis on decentralised energy solution, not excluding grid extension programmes and energy efficiency solutions; and
• Attract additional financing for such investments, including the local banking sector.
“The EUD Eswatini signed a contribution agreement with the German development cooperation agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) for the implementation of the technical assistance and capacity building activities, known as ‘Catalysing Investments and Power sector reform to Support the Energy Transition in Eswatini.’
On the 8th and 9th November, the EU, the Government of Eswatini, GIZ, Business Eswatini and the Renewable Energy Association of Eswatini will jointly organise the Green Power Transformation Forum to officially launch the project,” Adam said.
He added: “With the European Green Deal, the Climate Law and the latest set of policy and legislative proposals to achieve at least 55 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 as an intermediate step, the EU will become climate neutral by 2050.
“The EU is also actively working with other countries and regions to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and promote ambitious climate action.”
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