Energy Policy and Development Centre (KEPA), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) 9th Green Energy Investments Forum 2022

Δημοσίευση: 06-11-2022 12:21 | Προβολές: 751

The works of the 9th annual Green Energy Investments Forum, held on 11 and 12 October 2022, were successfully completed. It aimed to promote Green Investments in the countries of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation Organization (BSEC). The Forum was organized by the KEPA, in its capacity as coordinator of the BSEC Green Energy Network (GEN) and under the auspices of BSEC. The works of the Forum included:
A.- The 4th annual Dinner
The 4th annual Dinner is provided every year on the eve of the Forum in honor of the
ambassadors of the BSEC Member States. The event was attended by the Secretary
General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat
of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC PERMIS), the
Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Countries
(PABSEC), the Ambassador of Moldova, the country holding the current Chairmanship-
in-office of BSEC, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, the country exercising the
Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Ambassador of India, invited country to the
Forum, the representatives of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Ambassadors of Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, the
President of the Hellenic Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE), members of the
Hellenic energy market, KEPA and consultants.
The participants of the Dinner were addressed by the Director of KEPA and
coordinator of the Network (BSEC – GEN), who referred to the need for the countries
of the Organization to instruct their representatives in the Board of Governors of the
Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) to expand its activities so as to
address Energy Poverty among the societies of BSEC Member states.
The Secretary General of BSEC PERMIS underlined the opportunity, provided by the
Forum, to ambassadors of the member states and to BSEC PERMIS for an exchange of
views on how to promote cooperation on the issues of green investments.
He expressed the appreciation of BSEC PERMIS to the KEPA and its Director for their
long-lasting contribution to the regional cooperation on the issues of green energy
and climate change.
He stressed the need to strengthen cooperation actions in the particularly difficult
circumstances prevailing in the region. Finally, on the subject of energy poverty, he
pointed out that although he supports the initiative, the possibilities of BSEC PERMIS
are limited and that this is a matter of Member States and BSTDB.

H.E the Ambassador of Moldova, informed the attendees about the developments in
his region and the negative impacts on his country, while regarding the proposal of
the KEPA, tackling energy poverty, with the involvement of BSTDB and the
development of an appropriate financing tool, he said that the issue is already being
discussed by the relevant services in his country.B.-The 9th annual Forum
The participants of the Forum were addressed by the Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC PERMIS), the Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea countries (PABSEC), the representative of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ambassador of Moldova, the ambassadors of Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey, the Czech Republic (a country exercising the current presidency of the Council of the EU) and India, the guest country, who presented their policies on the forum's issues.
In particular, the Secretary General of BSEC PERMIS pointed out that the Forum is an important tool for the promotion of investments in clean energy and announced his intention to ask the member countries of the Organization to intensify their efforts for the green transformation of their economies and the development of policies to address Climate Change.
He concluded by underlining his decision to strengthen efforts to promote cooperation policies between the member states of the Organization, pointing out the positive role of the KEPA during its long-term cooperation with the member-states of the Organization and BSEC PERMIS, in this concept.
The Secretary General of PABSEC in his presentation pointed out that the further development of energy projects in the region will enhance energy security in Europe and beyond and will ensure better economic growth. Building regional cooperation and strengthening economic cooperation relations remains a priority for the countries of the region, which should unite efforts to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development.
The Ambassador of Moldova referred to the contribution of his country to the smooth operation of the BSEC by accepting the extension of the chairmanship of the Organization for a consecutive term. He mentioned the problems that have been created in his country by the war developments in Ukraine and the ongoing disruption in the security of its energy supply. Finally, he pointed out the need to be promoted policies related to tackling energy poverty in the region.
The Ambassador of Turkey referred to the negative effects of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the security of energy supply for the countries of the region and the role of LNG. He referred to the role of existing intercontinental natural gas pipelines and especially those passing through Turkey to address these problems. He referred to Turkey's participation in global efforts for the green transition and underlined the importance of Turkey's discovery of the Sakarya deposit in the Black Sea, with a total capacity of 540 bcm.
The Ambassador of the Czech Republic referred to the EU policies related to the developments in the war in Ukraine, the issues of the economic recession and especially the issues related to the Security of Energy Supply in the EU countries and pointed out the need for international and regional cooperation to address these problems.
The Ambassador of India presented his country's policies and actions on energy and climate change issues on a global and regional scale. India is the country with the third
largest energy consumption on the planet. To meet its needs, it implements the largest RES program on a global scale with the aim of building 500GW by 2030. India has developed a wide network of regional and international cooperation that extends from the countries of South Asia, the Middle East, the Gulf and of course the EU, especially France.
The Government of India has set a target of reducing carbon emissions by 1 billion tons by 2030. To achieve this goal, it plans to mobilize investments of USD 1trillion, through the International Solar Alliance (ISA), while it aims to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2070.
The Director of KEPA and coordinator of the BSEC - Green Energy Network, referred to the expected increase in energy poverty in all countries of the Organization and the urgent need to develop and implement programs to address it with the active involvement of BSTDB.
These programs can be developed with the creation of an appropriate financing tool by the BSTDB aimed at issuing and managing guaranteed bank loans on the basis of a "Structured Political Dialogue" that will be carried out under the coordination of KEPA, the involvement of potential beneficiaries, local authorities (municipalities), commercial banks and the construction sector.
He stressed out that his proposal meets the BSTDB's requirements for bankable projects with guaranteed margins of profit and concluded with an appeal to BSEC-Member States to support his proposal through their Governors to the BANK, as soon as possible.

C.- The 1st BSEC-GEN and BSEC-PERMIS Symposium

The Symposium was held with the participation of the Permanent Secretariat (PERMIS), the Presidency of the BSEC (Ambassadors of Moldova, Georgia) and scientists, members of the network from Albania, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Serbia and Greece.
The Symposium provided the opportunity for a sincere exchange of views between the professors-members of the Green Energy Network (BSEC-GEN), the Permanent International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC PERMIS) and the ambassadors of the countries of the chairmanship of the Organization on the problems and the potential of the network to promote cooperation on issues of common interest.
The university professors of the BSEC - GEN underlined their efforts to support the BSEC policies especially in the fields of Energy Efficiency, in identifying and overcoming behavioral obstacles in implementation of policies and concluded with their efforts to convince BSTDB to get involved in developing and implementing bankable projects against energy poverty.
They informed BSEC PERMIS, that members of the network have benefited by the EU Horizon financing procedures. They have organized numerous seminars and meetings in almost all BSEC – MS and have participated to all calls for proposals made by BSEC. In this context, it was discussed the perspective for a joint action to address the problems of energy poverty, in cooperation with the member countries of the Organization in the framework of a "Structured Political Dialogue" that the BSEC – GEN and its members have the potential to conduct.
The Symposium ended with a statement made by the Secretary General of BSEC PERMIS that these issues will be introduced at the next meeting of the Working Group
on Energy of the BSEC - MS.
The works of the 9th FORUM were funded by the Hellenic Green Fund of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Financial Program "Financial support for extrovert actions 2022").