CLUB OF MADRID AUGUST WORKSHOP ON ENERGY AND POVERTY Madrid, July 4, 2007.- Next August 20-21 and within the framework of this year’s summer courses at the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP), in Santander, Spain, the Club of Madrid is organizing a workshop entitled Energy and Democratic Leadership: Promoting Access to Energy for Poverty Reduction. According to the International Energy Agency’s report ‘Energy and Poverty’, 1.6 billion people today lack access to modern energy services, services that are vital to sustainable development and efforts to reduce poverty. This workshop will combine the knowledge and political experience of Club of Madrid members with the expertise of energy and development experts to debate how to expand access to energy, while taking into account the threats of energy security and the risk of climate change. ‘Energy’ today is a challenge for all parts of society. Democratic leadership can do much to pioneer ways of maximizing the creative engagement of the private sector in meeting these challenges; to mainstream innovations and new low-carbon technologies through access to new finance and capital flows; to encourage enterprise-development in poor regions by decentralizing energy supplies, so that poor people can be active agents of their own development without depending on centralized energy systems. From the Club of Madrid’s perspective, the role of political leaders is central to any constructive debate on energy and development and their participation is crucial to any enduring success emanating from such policy discussions. This two-day workshop in Santander will accordingly identify ways for democratic leadership to tackle the challenge of energy and poverty in the 21st Century, namely: How to expand energy access without compromising energy security and climate stability; how to maximise the potential for business to provide sustainable solutions; the role of governments in support of sustainable energy poverty solutions; and lessons learned that could offer relevant guidance for democratic leaders. This workshop is the first meeting of a broader Club of Madrid project which aims to identify best practices and recommendations on how to provide improved access to energy for the poor. Club of Madrid Members and energy experts from international institutions, the private sector, and NGOs will participate in a series of workshops, as well as international consultative events throughout 2007 and 2008. As an independent organisation dedicated to strengthening of sustainable democratic development, the CoM can draw on the unique experience and convening power of its Members, 66 democratic former Heads of State and Government from some 50 countries around the world, and offer a neutral, yet uniquely experienced, platform bringing together political experience and the best expert minds to deliberate on major global issues affecting sustainable democratic development and energy poverty. In partnership with the Club of Madrid in this project, the UK not-for-profit think tank, AccountAbility, brings to the development of this project its expertise on governance and accountability. Registration fee for the workshop is 159 €. Those interested in attending can register through www.uimp.es Participants in the workshop: Alejandro Litovsky, Senior Advisor, AccountAbility and Content Coordinator of the Project Members of the Club of Madrid: Sadig Al Mahdi, Former Prime Minister of Sudan
Ricardo Lagos, Former President of Chile Jorge Quiroga, Former President of Bolivia Ketumile Masire, Former President Botswana Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland Cassam Uteem, Former President Mauritius Jimmy Carter, Former President of the United States Other participants: Marianne Haug, Chairman of the Board of Forum für Zukunftsenergien; Professor of Energy Policy and Sustainable Development at the University of Hohenheim Alex MacGillivray, Head of Programmes at AccountAbility Mattia Romani, Senior Economist en Shell Jonas Moberg, Head of Secretariat, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Kamal Rijal, Energy Policy Advisor at the Environment and Energy Group, UNDP Isabel Tocino, Former Spanish Minister of the Environment Peter Van der Veen, Acting Director of the Oil, Gas, Mining and Chemicals Department of the World Bank – to be confirmed Willy Olsen, Key Adviser, Revenue Watch Institute Club de Madrid – www.clubmadrid.org The Club of Madrid is an independent organization dedicated to strengthening democracy around the world by drawing on the unique experience and resources of its Members – 66 democratic former heads of state and government. In partnership with other organizations and governments that share its democracy-promotion goals, the Club of Madrid provides peer to peer counsel, strategic support and technical advice to leaders and institutions working towards democratic transition and consolidation. Accountability – www.accountability21.net AccountAbility is a non-profit, membership organization established in 1995 to promote accountability innovations that advance responsible business practices, and the broader accountability of civil society and public organizations. Its 350 members include businesses, NGOs and research bodies, and elect our international Council, which includes representatives from Brazil, India, North America, Russia, South Africa and Europe.