The week featured three events that brought together representatives from both the private and public sectors.

Progress in meeting climate goals requires the decarbonization and transformation of key productive sectors, such as energy. In this context, the implementation of efficiency mechanisms is fundamental for the improvement of energy management, especially in the private sector.

For this, Euroclima, through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, has implemented Learning Networks in Energy Management Systems in several countries in the region, which seeks to form or improve energy management systems within institutions, becoming a tool that helps energy performance. Additionally, if the institution wishes to be certified under ISO 50001, the Network methodology guides and provides guidelines to achieve this goal.

Within the framework of these networks implementation, and in conjunction with the project “Future Energy Systems” developed by GIZ Brazil and in cooperation with the Colombian Government and the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil, the first week of Energy Management in Colombia was jointly organized during the week of March 13 to 17, where 3 events were held to highlight the importance of having a strategy and tools that encourage energy management in the public and private sector.

The first one, held in the city of Cali, Colombia, at the facilities of the company Smurfit Kappa, was the first face-to-face workshop of the Learning Network on Energy Management Systems for the Colombian industry, a milestone that is part of the implementation process of the network, framed in the Energy Management action in the industrial sector as a strategy for better energy performance and competitiveness of the sector and, in addition, contribute to the mitigation objectives adopted in the NDC of Colombia, currently implemented in Colombia by the Euroclima program through the GIZ. The workshop was attended by 15 companies that are part of the Network and more than 30 attendees, including representatives of the Colombian government and GIZ Colombia and Brazil.

During the workshop, the baseline of the companies participating in the network was validated regarding the energy characterization, and the goals that the companies and the Learning Network set for ISO 50001 certification, improvement or implementation of an energy management system were defined.

Subsequently, the First Latin American Meeting of Learning Networks in Energy Management Systems was held in the city of Bogota D.C., with the participation of more than 45 people.  The event allowed the meeting of government counterparts, representatives of institutions implementing the networks and members of GIZ from Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Cuba and Argentina, countries that have significant experience in the implementation of this methodology.

The meeting served to learn about the different characteristics of the Energy Management Learning Networks, where they were applied (industries, municipalities, public buildings, etc.), the experience of partner countries, share methodological aspects that can strengthen capacities, promote the use of the Networks as tools established in the state policies of Latin American countries in their fight against climate change and explore how to multiply these experiences with a regional approach.  In addition, there was also an exchange space with technicians from GIZ Germany, who shared their learned lessons in the implementation of the networks in Europe.

The broadcast is available here.

As a result of this meeting, a community of practice has been formed, which we hope will have periodic meetings, feeding from the experience and information available from the implementation of Learning Networks throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Finally, the week closed with the second workshop for measures validation, barriers and proposal of instruments, in the framework of the construction of a Roadmap to Improve Energy Performance of the Industrial Sector, which is currently being carried out in Colombia, as part of action 9 of the country dialogue that is currently being executed in Colombia. The workshop was attended by more than 70 people from different industrial sectors, ministries, unions and other public-private entities relevant to the construction of the Roadmap.

During this workshop, the barriers faced by industries for the implementation of prioritized energy efficiency measures, both technical, technological and good practices, were analysed and validated, as well as evaluating their potential impact on energy intensity, and working spaces were presented for the feedback of the attendees on the proposal of policy instruments designed by the technical team.

About Euroclima

Euroclima is a program funded by the European Union and co-financed by the German federal government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), as well as by the governments of France and Spain through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. 

 The Program's mission is to reduce the impact of climate change and its effects in 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean by promoting mitigation, adaptation, resilience, climate investment and biodiversity. To this end, it is implemented according to the "Spirit of Team Europe" under the synergistic work of eight agencies: Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), AFD Group: Agence Française de Développement (AFD)/ Expertise France (EF), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Contact

Andrés Robledo, Energy Efficiency Advisor Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.