ECREEE Holds Sustainable Bioenergy Forum in Mali
May 2nd, 2018 - The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) is organising a two-day capacity building and sensitisation workshop on Sustainable Bioenergy and WACCA programmes in Mali on the 3rd and 4th May 2018.
The Bamako forum is organised against the background of the poor energy access that characterises the ECOWAS region with significant deforestation and degradation of natural resources having negative impact on sustainable development aspirations of the communities.
In view of these challenges, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) initiated the Bioenergy and WACCA programs in 2012. The REDD+ (sustainable Biomass Actions) and WACCA Programmes were supported by the Austrian Ministry of the Environment, Water and Forestry with the objective to contribute to sensitization and capacities enhancement of the member states.
The national capacity enhancement and sensitization forum seeks to share among others, sustainable management, transformation and utilization of biomass, including forest resource for cooking, heating and power generation.
The forum will discuss the ECOWAS Bioenergy Policy recently approved by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments and the opportunities of sustainable utilization of biomass resources for Economic, Environmental and Social benefits of the people. Stakeholders will also be introduced to sustainable, clean and efficient cooking energy solutions. The forum will share experience and best practices in alleviating negative biomass exploitation, as well as highlight the environmental effects of using traditional fuel wood for cooking. The meeting will also propose sustainable methods on transitioning to modern bioenergy and fostering improved forest management. Participants will further discuss and validate the draft national action plan.
The targeted participants include stakeholders from the ministries of energy, forestry/agriculture, the environment and local communities in the Member State. Representatives of civil society organisations and policy research institutions active in sustainable bioenergy promotion and development, cooking energy sector, forest management, private sector actors involved in the energy, agriculture, financial and technology field; and technical and financial partners, who have or are likely to support initiative on sustainable bioenergy development are among the targeted participants.
