GOGLA activities at COP27

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From November 6 to 18, 2022, a delegation from GOGLA will be attending the 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) held in Sharm El-Sheikh. The COP27 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The conference is a crucial forum for unifying global efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

Since COP26 in 2021, energy access has been positioned as an important part of the climate agenda, giving GOGLA and many of our partners the opportunity to present our messages on stage on multiple occasions. This year we have a GOGLA delegation of 3 representing the off-grid solar sector at COP27 – including Koen Peters, Executive Director, Patrick Tonui, Head of Policy and Regional Strategy, and Laura Fortes, Senior Project Manager, Investor Engagement.

Here is an overview of what will we be doing at COP27:

Roundtable Discussion: ISA’s SolarX Grand Challenge

  • Thursday, 10 November 2022, 9:30 – 11:00
  • ISA Pavilion
  • Organised by the International Solar Alliance (ISA)
  • GOGLA panelist: Koen Peters, Executive Director

The Solar X Grand Challenge aims to mobilize resources for solar by promoting the start-up ecosystem throughout the globe. the program is planned to begin with the African leg. The core objectives of the program are to identify innovative solar solutions, promote the local start-up ecosystem and catalyze growth potential for the African nations. The program will be launched at CoP 27 and run for a year.

The off-grid solar industry’s commitment: improving climate resilience and climate justice for 1 billion people

  • Saturday, 12 November 2022, 13:30 – 15:00
  • BeNeLux/EIB Pavilion
  • Organised by GOGLA

Access to energy is a key requisite for realizing inclusive social and economic development. However, It is an unfortunate reality that over 700 million people globally live without access to modern energy. While the global community wrestles with responding to climate change, off-grid communities that have contributed the least to today’s climate change challenge, are bearing the brunt of changing climate and yet are at the highest risk of being left behind as alternatives are sought to fight a changing climate.

Power Up! A Global Coalition Fighting for Climate Justice and Adaptation

  • Saturday, 12 November 2022, 15:00 – 16:00
  • SDG 7 Pavilion
  • Organised by Ashden
  • GOGLA panelist: Patrick Tonui, Head of Policy & Regional Strategy

The goal of this event is to inspire COP stakeholders (from civil society, business, and the public sector) to back and share the Power Up campaign – and to equip policymakers from low-income nations to push for greater investment in access to clean, affordable energy through the COP process.

This session will: (a) Make the case that access to sustainable energy is a key adaptation tool for regions with high levels of energy poverty and energy insecurity – the role affordable clean energy can play in agriculture, healthcare, economic resilience, and other crucial areas, (b) Consider how MDBs, governments and other funders might drive sustainable development and climate justice through clean energy and (c) Inspire delegates with examples of energy access solutions and why energy access needs to be supported with dedicated funding.

Accelerating Financing to the Solar Sector in the Commonwealth Countries

  • Saturday, 12 November 2022, 17:00 – 18:30
  • ISA Pavillion
  • Organised by Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and ISA
  • GOGLA Panelist: Koen Peters

The objective of this session is to present and discuss interlinkages between off-grid solar and energy access on the one hand, and climate resilience and climate justice on the other. Specifically, we aim to present an Industry Led Compact to reach one billion lives by 2030 and present this as the off-grid solar industry commitment towards the climate process.

Energy Compact Showcase

  • Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 11:45 – 12:15
  • SDG 7 Pavillion
  • Organised by SEforALL
  • GOGLA Panelist: Koen Peters, Executive Director

Within the frame of the United Nations’ High-Level Dialogue on Energy in 2021, GOGLA has launched an Energy Compact and Roadmap to “Power 1 Billion Lives by 2030”. The off-grid solar sector has already improved the lives of over 400 million people and is enabling communities locked in energy poverty to start climbing the energy access ladder. Scaling off-grid solutions – such as solar kits, home systems, and efficient appliances – provides the fastest and most affordable way to reach the SDG7 goal of universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy by 2030.

Partnerships to Scale up Energy Access

  • Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 18:00 – 19:00
  • Organised by ESMAP
  • GOGLA Panelist: Koen Peters, Executive Director

At the current rate of progress, only eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa will achieve universal electricity access by 2030. Decentralized renewable energy is the fastest and cost-effective way to bring power to rural and most vulnerable settings. At this event, policymakers and develop partners will discuss the implementation of the World Bank Group’s new energy access scale up initiative through distributed renewable energy which aims to help African countries double the pace of access expansion by 2026.

Note: Keep an eye on this page for regular updates throughout COP27

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