Energy and the post-2015 development agenda

In 2000, world leaders rallied around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Eight ambitious goals were to be met by 2015. Thanks to a massive global effort, real progress has been made on these goals which expire in 2015. What happens after 2015?

 

Recognizing the growing and more engaged global community, and the need for broad stakeholder involvement, the UN initiated a dialogue process for 11 important global themes (as well as hundreds of national dialogue processes) that would provide input to the development of a new development agenda after 2015. Discussions have taken place online and through face-to-face consultations all around the globe and will continue until 2015.

One of the 11 themes is energy, often referred to as the “missing” MDG. The reason for this is the immense effects access to energy has for development. Access to energy effects most development themes such as poverty, education, health, distribution, equality and sustainable growth.    

Norway, Mexico and Tanzania facilitated a global consultation process on energy and the post-2015 development agenda, including online and face-to-face consultations. The process terminated in a high-level meeting in Oslo 9 April 2013. A summary of the consultation was delivered to the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on the post-2015 development agenda, clearly recommending that a goal on energy should be included in the post-2015 development agenda.

The High-Level Panel then published its final report 30 May 2013, also recommending that a goal to secure sustainable energy should be included in the post 2015 development agenda. The goal recommends sub-goals as follows:

A)     Double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
B)      Ensure universal access to modern energy services
C)      Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency in buildings, industry, agriculture and transport
D)     Phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption  

Read more about the post-2015 energy consultation.