Energy Caucus Input to CSD Secretariat for CSD-14

At WSSD in 2002, countries agreed to call on governments to take actions at all levels for policies to phase out harmful subsidies, provide financial resources to developing countries, and to improve access to affordable and environmentally sound energy, among other things.  For the Energy Caucus' written contribution on these issues for CSD-14, click here.  

ENERGY CAUCUS MEETINGS
13TH SESSION
UN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
UN HQ, NEW YORK
11-22 APRIL 2005

This session will be the “policy year” session, focusing on a policy outcome document on the issue areas of water, sanitation and human settlements. The Energy Caucus will be meeting almost daily, Tuesday through Friday the first week, and Monday, Tuesday and Thursday the second week. The first week will be spent on lobbying on water-energy related issues, and working closely with the Water Caucus.

For information on the session, including agenda (UN Document # E/CN.17/2005/1) and preparatory meeting outcome document (E/CN.17/2005/6), please go to: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/csd13/csd13.htm

The Energy Caucus is a coalition of non-profit, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and related UN meetings and conferences. We work to educate and encourage governments, non-governmental organisations, and international agencies in promoting sustainable energy policies at the international and intergovernmental levels. In particular, the Caucus focuses on encouraging policies to promote energy conservation and sustainable renewable sources of energy.

The Caucus was one of the earliest caucuses formed at the CSD, and has been active at the UN since 1994. We took a leading role in 1997 at the Rio+5 Summit ; led the work of NGOs at CSD9 in 2001 which was devoted to energy issues; were very active the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2001-2002. At WSSD, the Caucus provided input for the outcome policy documents, held briefings and dialogues with governments, and sponsored side events to educate both government and NGO delegates. With wide participation, the Energy Caucus spent many months preparing a policy paper for CSD9 in 2001 that has continued to guide our work for the last few years.

Under the programme established at the 11th session of the CSD in 2003, energy will be a focal issue during the second cycle period, 2006-2007. Water has been the issue main issue during the first cycle, 2004-2005. The first year of the energy cycle, 2006, will focus on reviewing what is actually being done in the world, at all levels, to promote energy and sustainable development. The second year, 2007, will focus on developing new UN policies relating to energy. The work for the first year of the cycle usually starts at the end of the prior CSD, meaning that the Energy Caucus will be very active from May 2005 on. Meanwhile, we will continue to participate on issues relating to water and sustainable energy as we were at CSD12.

In 2005, the UN General Assembly will review the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were established at the Millennium Summit in 2000. Issues directly or indirectly related to energy are a major part of the MDGs. The review will take place at the fall session of the UN General Assembly that starts in September 2005. The Energy Caucus plans to input as much as possible in the review and making proposals, educating governments, etc.