Clean Energy Ministerial

CEM Secretariat Joins World Bank to Convene High-Level Experts to Explore Low-Carbon Development

20 July 2011

The "High Level Dialogue on Low Emissions Development" event was the first step in what will become an ongoing effort to share experiences and facilitate learning across countries in order to spur low-carbon development. The event was sponsored by the Clean Energy Ministerial, ClimateWorks Foundation, France, Mexico, South Africa, UN Energy, and the World Bank.

The event highlighted the need for a new narrative around climate change that demonstrates the extent of climate change risks and tells a positive story in which adaptation to climate change, mitigation, and development are interwoven.

The dialogue also confronted the urgency for strong global action to advance low-emissions development. Fortunately, a growing number of countries are eager to pursue low-emissions economic growth and share proven policies for advancing development and climate objectives simultaneously. 

Governments, international institutions, and nonprofit organizations are responding with a host of pilot programs to help nations identify proven best practice policies for low-emissions development and to tailor those policies to fit national circumstances. This new surge of activity has increased awareness about the role of policy in shaping sustainable development and climate outcomes, but participants agreed that more can be done; synergies among these new activities and programs could be realized through enhanced cooperation and coordination.  

In response to this clear opportunity, dialogue participants agreed on the need to explore enhanced opportunities for accelerating learning, knowledge sharing, analysis, and capacity building on best practice policies for low-emissions development, building on existing initiatives, networks, and institutions.

Further, to help dispel the myth that low-emissions growth comes at the cost of development, speakers also called for showcasing "lighthouse" examples of low-emissions development that have been successful at the country, sector, and firm level.

Andrew Steer, the World Bank’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, convened the meeting. The event also included a moderated dialogue with U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and World Bank president Robert B. Zoellick.