HC Deb 08 April 2003 vol 403 cc178-9W
Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department will provide for capacity building programmes for implementation of(a) research and development and (b) installation of renewable energy and low carbon technologies in (i) developing and (ii) less developed countries; and how the United Kingdom plans to assist scientific and engineering development in sustainable energy technologies in these countries. [107585]

Clare Short

Much of my Department's work on renewable energy is undertaken through our Knowledge and Research (KaR) programme, which has, over recent years, included both technical and institutional issues to promote their use in developing countries. The technologies have included solar, wind, biomass and small hydropower. All such projects have a substantial capacity building approach, working as far as possible with organisations in developing countries. We have a public website listing and giving details of past and current renewable energy projects funded through the KaR programme—www.etsu.com/dfid-kar-energy/.

Our overall approach to energy for development is to encourage consideration of the full menu of options to improve access to affordable energy services, not limiting this to renewable sources. This is reflected in an Issues Document, Energy for the Poor, which was released by this Department at the World Summit for Sustainable Development last September.

In addition to our KaR programme, my Department also contributes and participates in the multi-donor Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP), which is a global technical assistance programme supported by the World bank and UNDP as well as other governments. The work being undertaken through ESMAP includes building local research and development capacity in developing countries in sustainable energy and renewable energy technologies. The work of ESMAP can be seen on their website www.worldbank.org/esmap.

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