Webinar series “Maximizing Impacts of Energy Access” started ›

How to maximize the development effects of energy access? That’s the key guiding questions we strive to answer in a webinar series WISIONS is co-producing jointly with our partner Access Coalition.
In webinar 1 of the series, we were “Setting the Scene” and explored crucial aspects for maximizing contributions to multiple SDGs together with our speakers:

Dr. Long Seng To, Joint Director of STEER at Loughborough University
Angelica Shamerina, Advisor GEF Small Grants Programme, UNDP
Grace Ronoh, Programme Officer ACCESS Coalition

During the discussion, the role of access to clean energy was established as a key factor to enhance the wellbeing of people, to ensure the functioning of crucial infrastructure and to improve the environmental performance of energy systems. Deploying the synergies of energy access starts by recognizing the strategies already used by the communities.

Key aspects to consider for co-designing impactful energy intervention:

Promote the ownership of the projects
Deploy potentials of productive uses of energy
Facilitate the participation of vulnerable groups (e.g., youths, or women)
Strengthen technical and non-technical capacities (e.g., with peer-to-peer exchanges)

The discussion also highlighted the importance of civil society organizations. They can facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues and advocate for decentralized energy options – thus bridging communities and governments.

The debate was moderated by Dr. Willington Ortiz, Research Associate of Wuppertal Institute and WISIONS Inititative.

Download all slides of the webinar and presentations by the panellists here.