Interactive Thematic Session on Energy at the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
17 May 2001, Brussels, Belgium

IISD's SUMMARY REPORT  is available online in HTML TEXT PDF 

The Interactive Thematic Session on Energy at the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was held on 17 May 2001 in Brussels, Belgium. The Session was organized in parallel with the Third UN Conference on the LDCs held at the European Parliament from 14-20 May 2001. The Session was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) with the support of the Government of Austria, and was attended by over 300 government delegates, including ministers and energy experts. The Session followed a preparatory process that included a High Level Meeting on Energy held at UNIDO headquarters in Vienna from 14-16 March 2001. 

Participants at the Session heard opening speeches and addressed issues relating to three key themes: access to energy, enhancing energy efficiency, and efficient oil and gas pricing and procurement. They reviewed and endorsed a list of proposed key outputs or deliverables developed and �field tested� during the preparatory process. These deliverables include: promoting pilot projects at the regional scale utilizing the �Multifunctional Platform� for power generation; promoting local assembly/manufacture of renewable energy equipment; developing rural capacity to manage integrated water and energy projects; implementing a pilot rural energy programme in Bhutan; establishing national and regional energy efficiency centers; promoting development of energy services companies (ESCOs); implementing a pilot energy conservation and efficiency programme in Zambia; developing investment strategies and feasibility studies for financing of regional energy projects; building capacity of LDCs for efficient oil pricing and procurement of hydrocarbons; supporting the exchange of successful experiences and best practices in the use of renewable energy technology; and promoting natural gas exploration and development in African LDCs. 

At the end of the session, the co-chairs and the moderator drew conclusions from the discussions, noting apparent consensus among participants with regard to the deliverables, and proposing that UNIDO take further action towards their implementation.

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