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| Atkins to help Africa develop sustainable energy solutions by 2030 Atkins is leading the consortium selected by the European Union (EU) to provide technical assistance to 24 East and Southern African countries over the next four years to accelerate the development of sustainable energy services as part of the EU's framework of Sustainable Energy for All. The €15.3 million investment will cover a range of technical assistance activities, including an assessment of access to electricity and national initiatives in sustainable energy and energy efficiency. Based on the findings, the consortium will support local governments with developing energy sector policies and encouraging partnerships between the public and private sector. The consortium will also provide technical assistance in programming and project preparation in the areas of rural electrification, renewable energies, energy efficiency and energy savings. The EU is at the forefront of the fight against energy poverty and is an active supporter of the global 'Sustainable Energy for All' (SE4All) initiative, launched by UN Secretary General in 2012. The three interlinked SE4All objectives are to provide universal access to modern energy services, double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix and double the current rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030. These projects form part of the EUs 'Agenda for Change' development policy which identifies energy as a key driver of inclusive growth. Sub Saharan Africa has the lowest electrification rate in the world and more than 650 million people rely on traditional biomass for heating and cooking, exposing themselves and their families to smoke and fumes that damage their health and kill nearly two million people per year. This year the United Nations General Assembly declared 2014 2024 as the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, underscoring the importance of energy for sustainable development and for the expansion of the post-2015 development agenda. The European Union has identified Energy as one of the sectors that plays an increasing role in its development assistance for the 2014-2020 programming period. write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Construction News :: home page |