Energy in Humanitarian Settings Advocated for at UN High Level Political Forum

The framework for a global plan of action, developed by UN bodies, researchers, NGOs and private sector players, will be presented to galvanise collaboration among all actors working on the energy and humanitarian nexus.

The Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Energy Solutions in Situations of Displacement  is a non-binding framework that will provide concrete actions to speed up progress towards safe access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all displaced by people and host communities by 2030.

The Plan is being designed to equip all stakeholders with the capacity to mainstream sustainable energy solutions in humanitarian programming and implementation. This will help ensure improved protection, dignity, and energy-related social, environmental, and economic benefits to displaced people.

Energy access for displaced people is currently not prioritized in the global humanitarian system, nor are displaced persons part of national energy access plans. Humanitarian responses are complex so integrating sustainable energy solutions into the humanitarian program cycle calls for systemic actions.

The Plan was created because there is a need for coordinated actions. These include:

• Attracting new and innovative funding sources
• Building energy know-how among humanitarian actors
• Involving national champions and new players, and
• Creating an evidence base to inform energy interventions for displaced people and host communities.

The Plan is a contribution to the review process of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) and the policy brief that informs it, for the first time, includes a section on energy issues in situations of displacement (Brief 17 ). The Plan is also intended to align with the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, the Agenda for Humanity, and other international initiatives such as the Paris Agreement.

Two events will take place during the High Level Political Forum:

• An expert-level meeting at 10-12:30 PM on 11 July focusing on the implementation of the current recommendations set out in the Global Plan of Action framework and next steps
• A lunchtime high-level panel from discussion 1-3 PM focused on the “leave no one behind” agenda and how the Global Plan of Action process can support it

A support structure will be established in the coming months to coordinate the development of the second part of the Plan’s process. This will include a work plan for the next two to three years that translates the recommendations into solid actions with clear roles, responsibilities and timelines. The Work Plan will be developed by early 2019 through a consultative process.

To attend the events, contact energy@unitar.org or RSVP . View the latest version of the Plan. For more information view the latest version of the Plan , and to get involved, please contact energy@unitar.org.  

The organisations steering the Plan’s development to date include IOM, UNHCR, UNITAR, GIZ, the Moving Energy Initiative, Practical Action, WFP, FAO, UNEP DTU, UNDP, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and the UN Foundation