Capacity-building for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction through Energy Efficiency in Romania

Budget

UNDP/GEF: Project ROM/00/G31 US$ 2,035,525 Parallel Financing Government US$ 825,000 Total US$ 2,860,525

Background

Between 2003 and 2006, the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF) ran a project entitled "Capacity-building for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction through Energy Efficiency in Romania"

(Achievements &) Expected Results

A Team of specialists in energy efficiency policy, engineering, banking, finance, communications and administration, supported by around 20 local consulting companies, carried out a mission to:

• Persuade companies and municipalities to lower greenhouse gas emissions by investing in energy efficiency;

• Build local capacity for this type of greenhouse-friendly investment to continue in the future; and

• Help leverage 20 real investments with a combined value of 12.5 million USD. The Project Team applied a simple principle - that a small investment by UNDP/GEF, in the form of Technical Assistance (TA) or a Direct Contribution (DC) of equipment, should help leverage a very much larger investment in energy efficiency by a third party. This approach worked well. By the time the project closed in November 2006, the Team had substantially exceeded its target, as:

• 68 Romanian municipalities, pubic utilities and private companies had received substantive support from UNDP/GEF; of which

• 34 investments with a combined value of around 70 million USD were in progress or complete; and

• Several more investments were expected to follow. Although the main 'capacity building' element involved 'learning by doing' - as energy consumers, engineers, financing specialists and financial institutions worked together - the project also supported a wide range of complementary actions such as events, training, publications and a poster campaign.

Project website: http://www.energie.undp.ro/