Enhancing Financial Flows for Energy Efficiency Investments (Webinar)

The Clean Energy Solutions Center, in partnership with the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC), its G20 Energy Efficiency Finance Task Group (EEFTG), and the Finance Initiative of the United-Nations Environment Programme (UNEP FI), hosted this webinar on enhancing financial flows for energy efficiency investments.
Energy efficiency is crucial to resource efficiency and sustainable development and it brings multiple benefits such as energy security, economic competitiveness, job creation and health and well-being improvements. This webinar presented the work of the G20 Energy Efficiency Finance Task Group (EEFTG), which aims to enhance global financial flows towards energy efficiency, highlighting the progress achieved and the key next steps. An overview of the Clean Energy Finance Solutions Center and the resources and trainings that it provides were presented.
EEFTG is one of the six work streams coordinated by the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Coordination (IPEEC) to implement the G20 Energy Efficiency Action Plan, launched in 2014. EEFTG gathers 13 countries and provides a platform to engage with financial institutions on energy efficiency finance. Recently, G20 energy ministers welcomed the Voluntary Energy Efficiency Investment Principles (PDF) developed by EEFTG. In parallel, the private financial sector massively voiced its interest in energy efficiency with over 100 banks and investors managing close to USD 4 trillion of assets endorsing specific statements on energy efficiency finance (PDF). Under the Chinese Presidency in 2016, EEFTG will continue to promote international cooperation and dialogue with financial institutions to scale up energy efficiency finance and focus on supporting the implementation of the Principles and increased energy efficiency activities of financial institutions.
The Clean Energy Finance Solutions Center assists governments and practitioners with identifying appropriate finance mechanisms and designing and implementing policies to reduce risk and encourage private sector investment, helping to achieve the transition to clean energy at the speed and scale necessary to meet local development needs and address global challenges.
Webinar presentations were followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.
Panelists
BENOÎT LEBOT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY COOPERATION
With over 20 years’ experience in Energy Efficiency, Mr. Lebot brings highly valuable expertise to the IPEEC Secretariat. During his extensive career he has worked for the French National Energy and Environmental Agency (ADEME), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the United Nations Development Programme. Having joined IPEEC in March 2014, Mr. Lebot aims to support IPEEC member states in further elevating energy efficiency on the international policy agenda and support the member states in the implementation of their work streams.
ANNIE DEGEN-NEUVILLE
Annie Degen-Neuville is in charge of coordinating the work on energy efficiency finance at the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), the global partnership between UNEP and the financial sector on sustainable finance. Annie has spent close to 20 years in banking, with Credit Lyonnais and Credit Agricole CIB in corporate and investment banking, in Europe and North America. She then joined Caisse des Depots, the largest French institutional investor as Head of Responsible Investment Policy for the group until joining UNEP FI late 2012. There she has created and co-convened the first working group bringing together the European Commission and the financial sector on energy efficiency finance, the Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group (EEFIG). This led to the production of a reference report in the field of policy/finance work to unlock capital for energy efficiency; she represents UNEP in the Secretariat of the G20-IPEEC Energy Efficiency Finance Task Group (EEFTG). In 2015, she successfully led with partner organizations the first global mobilization of banks and investors on energy efficiency for COP21.
PETER SWEATMAN
Peter Sweatman is the Chief Executive of Climate Strategy & Partners, a strategic consultant in clean energy, clean technology, energy efficiency and climate change strategies, counting among its clients some of Iberia’s largest firms and among its partners Bloomberg New Energy Finance and Trucost. For five years prior to this, Peter was Managing Director responsible for Iberia and Latin America for Bunge-Climate Change Capital, one of the world’s leading specialist fund manager and advisors in the low carbon economy which also remains in partnership with Climate Strategy. Peter is an advisor to the Climate Lab and the rapporteur to the Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group, which includes over 120 participants and is co-convened by the EU Commission and UNEPFI. Peter is a visiting professor in the MBA programme at IE University in Madrid, an active member of the Ashoka Support Network, a member of the JCI Institute for Energy Efficiency Global Expert panel, lecturer at IIT-Comillas University, European University Institute and is an advisor to the UK Trade & Industry in Spain.
BETHANY SPEER
Bethany Speer has over seven years of experience as an energy analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. She leads projects that surround building capacities and providing technical assistance to countries on clean energy policies and low emissions development strategies. Her current focus is working with developing countries on mechanisms to engage private sector investment.