| GBEP’s global agenda is helping to involve new countries, organisations in its activities
The Global Bioenergy Partnership’s commitment to hold its meetings in different parts of the world, normally coinciding with major conferences or international events related to bioenergy, is paying dividends with increased participation by developing countries from Latin America and Asia.
In late 2009, GBEP held a workshop on sustainability indicators in the Argentinean capital Buenos Aires (on the occasion of the XIII World Forestry Congress). This was followed by the 6th meeting of the GBEP Task Force on Sustainability and the 8th Steering Committee Meeting, both held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The workshop in Buenos Aires was the first opportunity for leaders of the three sub-groups of the Task Force on Sustainability (Environment, Social and Economic & Energy Security) to gather and discuss a draft shortlist of indicators. The workshop also gave the opportunity to Chile, Paraguay, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and to the Inter American Development Bank to join GBEP as observers. The Buenos Aires workshop served to prepare for the successive meeting of the task force in Jakarta, which gave a clear steer for sub-groups towards the development of a final draft of indicators, meant to be ready for March, while work progresses on drafting cross-cutting recommendations and accompanying guidance.
A final report containing all the agreed criteria and indicators, together with recommendations on their use, is due to be published in 2010 with a separate, brief report on the work of the task force to be submitted to the 2010 G8 Summit in Canada.
The Task Force on Sustainability’s work and way forward were endorsed by the Steering Committee together with those of the Task Force on GHG methodologies, which is now busy testing applications of the Methodological Framework for GHG Emissions from Bioenergy, published earlier this year. The Steering Committee also welcomed Paraguay as a partner in Jakarta and Laos as a new observer. There is potential also to involve the African Development Bank in the GBEP’s work, in view of the decision to hold the next Steering Committee meeting in Tunisia in early May. The participation of the African Development Bank, itself based in Tunis, would be important at this gathering since the bank has projects in the field of renewable energy.
Details of all GBEP meetings can be found in the Events section of its website.
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