Mr. Chairman, Excellencies,
Italy recognizes the catalytic role of energy in promoting sustainable development. We are strongly committed in the three SE4ALL objectives and we play an active role in their achievement, both at governmental and private sector level with the main Italian energy utility – Enel – which joined the SE4ALL Advisory Board in June 2014.
At the national level, Italy supports the deployment of renewable energy, which today represents 38,6 % of the total national energy production, with an installed capacity of 50 gigawatts, mostly related to small- and medium-sized power plants. Italy is now the first country in the world with regard to the share of solar power (11 %) against the overall national energy consumption. Moreover, we have set legal provisions to foster the development of energy efficiency measures, such as white certificates, tax rebates and support scheme for Heating&Cooling.
At the international level, Italy is actively engaged in order to reach the SE4ALL goals by cooperating with IRENA and with IPEEC, by mutual sharing of best practices. Regarding energy access, Italy is financing energy-related projects in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, where energy access is key for a sustainable economic and human development.
Italy also co-chairs the Africa-EU Energy Partnership and strongly supports all the activities to guarantee broad and safe energy access. In this context, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched in 2013 the “Italy-Africa initiative”, with a specific focus on sustainability. The first “Italy-Africa Forum” last October, which gathered a large multitude of public and private stakeholders, was completely devoted to energy access in the sub-Saharan region.
To this extent Italy also strongly supported the IEA in the elaboration of the Africa Energy Outlook, the first study ever on energy projections entirely focused on the African continent.
The Italian commitment to achieve the objectives of SE4ALL is therefore strong and consistent at the national and international level. Next Wednesday, the “Africa Day 2015” will be held in Rome, which will also be focused on “Africa and Italy for a future of sustainable energy” and will count on the distinguished participation of Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the initiative “Sustainable Energy for All”.
Thank you.
