Το κείμενο, που ακολουθεί είναι στα αγγλικά. Δημοσιεύτηκε στην εθνική έκθεση 7th National Communication under UNFCCC.
History
The “BSEC – Green Energy Network” was launched as the consequence of an initiative undertaken by the Hellenic Government to establish a “Task Force on Green Energy Development”. This led PERMIS to invite KEPA for the development of the “BSEC – Green Energy Network” between administrative bodies and/or Centres and organizations mandated to promote renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures and policies (BS/EN/WG/TF/R(2014)2). The network is coordinated by KEPA under the supervision of PERMIS.
This activity started after the decision of the Ministers of Energy of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), during their meeting at Nafplion (Greece, 12 Oct. 2010)[1], to set up a Task Force with the aim to identify relevant issues within which regional cooperation can be most effective, and also to explore ways to promote green energy investments and innovative green energy projects (Declaration concerning “Green Energy Development Initiative” – BS/EN/WG/R(2010)2). In accordance with the Declaration of the Ministerial Meeting in Nafplion (Greece) on 12 October 2010, a “Task Force on Green Energy Development” was set-up within the BSEC Working Group on Energy, with the aim to identify relevant issues within which regional cooperation can be most effective, and also to explore ways to promote green energy investments and innovative green energy projects.
The Task Force started working in April 2012; agreed on the creation of the aforementioned Network and decided to elaborate a BSEC Green Energy Strategy Paper (BS/EN/WG/TF/R(2012)1). In fact, the BSEC Economic Agenda 2012 provides for taking gradual steps to materialize the vision of transforming the BSEC Region into a model for clean energy by the year 2050.
During its meeting in Thessaloniki in December 2014, the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs decided to transfer the activities and functions of the Green Energy Development Task Force to the BSEC Working Group on Energy (BS/FM/R(2014)2 and Annex VII to BS/FM/R(2014)2). The Working Group on Energy decided to continue the work on the development of a Green Energy Strategy Paper (BS/EN/WG/TF/R(2014)2). Member States were invited to continue to contribute to the development of the document and assure the presence of their experts at the forthcoming meetings of the Working Group.
Furthermore, the BSEC Green Energy Network was established by the decision of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs taken on 12 December 2014. The mandate of the Network is to facilitate exchanging information and sharing experience and know-how among national administrative bodies and/or centers and organizations mandated to promote renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures and policies in the BSEC Region. In accordance with the agreements reached in the Task Force on Green Energy Development and in the Working Group on Energy, the BSEC PERMIS invited the Energy Policy and Development Centre (KEPA) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens to develop the Network, under the supervision of the BSEC Permanent International Secretariat, in terms of both partners and activities to be undertaken (BS/EN/WG/TF/R(2014)2).
The Network started to function in 2015 and is endeavouring to undertake and facilitate actions at international, regional and national levels with a view to developing, transferring and exchanging updated knowledge, including consultations for the development and assessment of specified green policy mixtures and actions.
Members of the Network are expected to organize and participate in regional/international activities, such as workshops, seminars and conferences. They can take advantage of the existing communication infrastructure of KEPA – scientific journals, periodical editions, newsletters – to increase the level of cooperation among them and their national stakeholders.
They are welcome to contribute to enhancing the knowledge transfer and capacity building of their governments, updating them on the state of the emerging international “green policy” instruments.
It is expected that the Network will contribute, through knowledge dissemination, to encouraging market stakeholders to take advantage of existing international financing opportunities and convince regional and national banking institutions to enhance their “green” programs.
Finally, members of the Network will be facilitated through brokerage events to participate in internationally financed programs, like those of H2020 of the European Union, or to develop ad hoc “tailor made” consortia upon requests from the BSEC Member States.
[1] The ministerial conference was held in Nafplio, Peloponnese, in the framework of the Greek presidency of the BSEC, with the focal message being “The Black Sea turns Green.” At: http://www.bsec-organization.org/bsecnews/BSECinMedia/Downloads/EMG%20(13.10.2010).pdf