As CARICOM Member States race toward their respective renewable energy targets, two organisations serving the region have partnered to advance the Caribbean’s sustainable energy transition.
The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) – a specialised energy agency of CARICOM and, the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator (CCSA) – a non-governmental organisation – have teamed-up, signing a cooperation agreement to accelerate regional and national mandates for the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
This partnership comes amid continued fuel price volatility and during the unpredictable hurricane season, coupled with an unprecedented global pandemic. Globally, the energy sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions which has been shown to increase the intensity of hurricanes which impact the region. The intrinsic link between energy and climate action can therefore not be undermined. As such, the entities have agreed to partner on sustainable energy project development support – through initiatives such as the CCREEE’s Project Preparation Facility (PPF), knowledge and information sharing and the provision of technical and investment assistance for both renewable energy and energy efficiency interventions.
Remarking on the cooperation agreement, CCREEE’s Executive Director, Dr Gary Jackson shared that agreements such as these are just the catapult the region needs. “The CCREEE believes in the power of partnerships, for the benefit of Caribbean people. This partnership will operate within the regional energy landscape and builds on our existing programmes; it disapproves the notion that we’re all working in silos”, he said.
CCSA’s Racquel Moses expressed similar sentiments, noting, “It is with unbridled enthusiasm that we have signed this cooperation agreement with CCREEE, for it signals our unwavering commitment to work with all regional stakeholders in the pursuit of making the Caribbean the world’s first climate smart zone. It is through regional collaborations such as this, that we will be able to strengthen the Caribbean’s capacity to be more climate resilient, while simultaneously creating the springboard for economic development and long-term sustainability.”
The cooperation agreement between the two entities is expected to be in place for a period of four years, with the option to extend.
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