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<\/p>\nNOVEMBER 2, 2021<\/p>\n
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Tuesday, 02\u00a0November\u00a02021\u00a0|\u00a0Georgetown,\u00a0Guyana\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in collaboration with key regional institutions, development partners and Member States celebrates CARICOM Energy Month (CEM) 2021, throughout the month of November.<\/p>\n Energy remains a\u00a0strategic priority<\/em>\u00a0for all CARICOM countries, as the region confronts unprecedented challenges in a worsening climate, the ongoing public health crisis, and declining economies. These, and other, issues are captured in this year\u2019s theme:\u00a0\u2018From Dependence to Resilience: Fueling our Recovery with Sustainable Energy<\/em>\u2019 as the region that is seized,\u00a0in particular<\/em>, with\u00a0the increasingly volatile global oil prices, which are at a record sevenyear high, is seeking to decouple its economy from imported fossil fuels, which provides more than 80% of its energy needs.<\/p>\n The Month constitutes\u00a0Regional\u00a0events, which run concurrent with events that are part of National Energy Months within the respective countries. Regional events are organized by the CARICOM Secretariat, in\u00a0partnership with the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), the German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) and European Union (EU) cofunded Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC) will be conducted virtually, on account of the ongoing COVID-19 measures in Member States.<\/p>\n CEM 2021 will kick off with a virtual Gameshow exploring the nexus of energy and water in resilient economies. Highlighted within the Month include activities that are focused on youth engagement, especially the\u00a0CARICOM Energy Youth Forum<\/strong>\u00a0that targets persons between the ages of 15 and 35 years old, as well as a\u00a0Green Education and Energy Career Day<\/strong>\u00a0that will highlight many of the emerging opportunities and pathways for future jobs and careers within the sustainable energy sector within the region.<\/p>\n Critically, as\u00a0world leaders assemble [at COP26] to make decisions on issues, including energy, that are linked to global climate change, the activities of CEM are focused on the engagement of decisionmakers, from the public sector (policy and regulations) and industry (business and investments), who will join academics and other civil society actors at the Seventh Edition of the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEFVII) from the 22nd<\/sup>\u00a0to 25th<\/sup>\u00a0November. Held biennially, this year\u2019s Forum will be hosted in collaboration with the Government of Barbados and would feature a diverse mix of speakers, including Heads of Governments and Ministers, business and thoughtleaders, and sector experts.<\/p>\n The Forum is expected to explore, among other things, the requirements that are necessary for accelerated deployment of regionappropriate technologies,\u00a0from commerciallymature solar and wind opportunities to the emerging marine and hydrogen options<\/em>, as well as issues ranging from\u00a0policies<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0regulations<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0financing<\/em>. The Forum will feature technical sessions, country-focused\u00a0sessions\u00a0and an international Business to Business session.<\/p>\n According to Dr. Devon Gardner, Head of the Energy Unit at the CARICOM Secretariat: \u201cCARICOM Energy Month 2021 provides a\u00a0clear and present opportunity for CARICOM stakeholders, as well as global partners who are interested in supporting sustainable energy development within the region, to examine, and agree on, practical approaches for \u201ctransitioning CARICOM countries\u201d to new energy ecosystems that support resilience-building.\u201d Gardner stated that this must be done through the intelligent use of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency measures and other distributed energy applications (including battery storage and electric vehicles) that are currently available within the\u00a0more mature segments of the markets<\/em>, whilst simultaneously paying attention to the emerging options and opportunities for island-appropriate marine renewable and hydrogen technologies that are becoming increasingly available and cost-effective.<\/p>\n The CARICOM Secretariat looks forward to celebrating CARICOM Energy Month 2021, with you!<\/p>\n Below is a list of regional activities scheduled for CEM 2021.<\/p>\n To view the CARICOM Energy Month (CEM)\u00a0launch video:\u00a0https:\/\/bit.ly\/3nNjmJz<\/a><\/p>\n To view the CEM\u00a0calendar of events:\u00a0https:\/\/bit.ly\/3wlsPMl<\/a><\/p>\n Further details of CARICOM Energy Month events can be accessed via\u00a0the CEM Trello \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/trello.com\/b\/fXPzyMv3\/caricom-energy-month-2021<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0each\u00a0implementing\u00a0partner\u2019s website.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n About CARICOM Energy The Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS) was designed by CARICOM Energy to build on existing efforts in the Region and to provide CARICOM Member States with a coherent strategy for transitioning to sustainable energy. CARICOM Energy is managed by the CARICOM Secretariat, with implementation coordinated by the CCREEE.<\/p>\n About The CCREEE<\/p>\n
\nCARICOM Energy<\/a>\u00a0was commissioned in 2008 under the Directorate of Trade and Economic Integration to coordinate the finalization of the regional energy policy and provide strategic management for a programmatic approach to the region\u2019s energy issues.<\/p>\n