| Message from the GEF CEO
Comments on en.Lighten from Monique Barbut, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility.
For the past two decades, the GEF has championed efforts to expand efficient lighting to developing countries throughout the world. Within the $850 million strong energy efficiency portfolio, a number of initiatives on lighting have been implemented and others are in the process of being implemented in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean with GEF’s support.
Just as the GEF has led the way for country-specific lighting initiatives, it is now pleased to help launch en.lighten to help promote global coordination. In partnership with UNEP, civil society organizations, and leading global lighting manufacturers, en.lighten will accelerate market transformation of efficient lighting technologies on a global scale. Through this initiative, the GEF’s objective is to build a strong partnership with the private sector to encourage innovation and to expand assistance to countries seeking to transform their use of lighting to save energy and protect the environment.
Efficient lighting is one of the simplest initiatives countries can undertake to reduce CO2 emissions and save energy. The move to efficient lighting means more reliable electricity supply and increased energy security for many developing countries.
en.lighten acts as the umbrella support provider for all efficient lighting initiatives developed by the GEF. The goal is to develop best practice guidance and support based on the experience of countries that have or are in the process of moving to efficient lighting. The guidance and recommendations provided by en.lighten will reflect the various contexts and situations faced by countries and provide potential approaches for the development of their own efficient lighting transformation plans.
About the Global Environment Facility
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) unites 182 member governments — in partnership with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector — to address global environmental issues. An independently operating financial organization, the GEF provides grants to developing countries and countries with economies in transition for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants. These projects benefit the global environment, linking local, national, and global environmental challenges and promoting sustainable livelihoods.
Established in 1991, the GEF is today the largest public funder of projects to improve the global environment. The GEF has allocated $9.2 billion, supplemented by more than $40 billion in cofinancing, for more than 2,700 projects in more than 165 developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Through its Small Grants Programme (SGP), the GEF has also made more than 12,000 small grants directly to nongovernmental and community organizations, totaling $495 million.
For more information: www.thegef.org
(*) List of GEF national projects promoting energy efficient lighting under implementation:
China – the Phasing-out of Incandescent Lamps and Energy Saving Lamps Promotion in China aims to achieve enhanced promotion and higher utilization of efficient lighting through the transformation of the local lighting products’ market and phasing out of IL production, addressing production enhancement, market development and policy advancement.
Egypt - improving the Energy Efficiency of Lighting and Building Appliances program was implemented in Egypt in June 2009 to improve the energy efficiency of building appliances and lighting systems manufactured, marketed and used in Egypt.
Haiti - in January 2010, an emergency program for solar power generation and lighting was developed as a consequence of the earthquake in Port au Prince, providing autonomous energy and lighting using solar applications.
Kazakhstan - a project is about to start to increase market penetration of energy-efficient lighting products and to gradually phase-out incandescent lamps thereby, reducing national GHG emissions.
Mexico – in March 2010, the Lighting and Appliances Efficiency Project was established to support efforts to mitigate climate change by expanding the use of energy-efficient equipment and services.
Morocco – the new Market Transformation for Energy Efficient Lighting project in Morocco will reduce GHGs through the progressive phase-out of incandescent lamps by: restricting the supply of inefficient lighting products through policy and legal measures; and, promoting the demand for energy efficient lighting products.
Peru - the Lighting Market Transformation project will promote energy saving lamps through the transformation of the local lighting products market and the phase-out of incandescent lamp imports and sales.
Russia – the Transforming the Market for Efficient Lighting program started in 2010 to transform the market towards more energy efficient lighting technologies by focusing on improving efficient lighting standards and policy frameworks; strengthening the supply chain for energy efficient lighting; and, piloting initiatives in residential, public buildings and street lighting.
Togo – the Efficient Lighting Program is working to introduce energy efficiency and quality standards for efficient light bulbs through a consumer awareness campaign and a bulk procurement scheme.
Ukraine - the Transforming the Market for Efficient Lighting Project has been established to reduce overall fossil fuel consumption and associated GHG emissions by removing barriers to transform the Ukrainian market towards more energy efficient lighting technologies.
Vietnam - the Phase out of Incandescent Lamps through the Lighting Market Transformation project targets the cessation of incandescent lamp production and sales and the promotion of high quality, energy -saving lamps through reforms at industrial and policy levels.
Back to Newsletter Home
|