SOURCE: UN
REGION: INTERNATIONAL
The UN Secretary General announced that the World Bank co-chair the advisory board will provide strategic guidance to the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which seeks universal access to electricity.
That body also will comprise high world authorities in the field of energy and related topics.
In this regard, the World Bank president, Jim Yong Kim, stressed during the high-level event on the topic held in New York, that the international financial group will step up its efforts in three areas, the first of which is the lending.
“In 2012, we awarded eight billion dollars for energy projects, which in turn generated 8 billion in investment supported from public, private, bilateral and multilateral. At Rio +20 we committed to doubling our energy portfolio to 16 billion dollars annually, with an emphasis on low-carbon energy, “Kim Yong specified.
The World Bank will also provide technical assistance to help countries develop comprehensive programs targeted access to electricity to stimulate private sector investment.
Finally, the institution will convene potential partners that provide creativity and innovation to address the remaining challenges.
It is estimated that 1,300 million people worldwide lack access to electricity, in addition, other 2,700 million depend on firewood and charcoal to prepare their meals and heat their homes.
