Expected results include:
* Establishment of a Sustainable Energy Investment Fund.
* New energy policies that promote efficiency in generation and use of energy, and incentives for the development of renewable energy resources.
* Reduced dependence on petroleum.
* Transfer of technology that increases the efficiency at which the region uses petroleum and electricity.
* Establishment of a virtual renewable energy demonstration centre, based on an actual project in SIDS, as part of capacity building activities.
Development of a network of professionals, companies and businesses to provide national leadership for sustainable energy.

None submitted as of January 2004

In response to the growing demand on the CARICOM Secretariat to coordinate activities, and the political leadership commitment to minimum level staffing at inter-governmental institutions, a regional implementation machinery was instituted as the overall co-ordinating mechanism for all regional activities at the governmental level. Under the regional implementing machinery, each Head of State has responsibility for a particular area. In the case of environment and sustainable development, coordination is assigned to the Government of Belize. A regional task force, comprised of professionals from the governments, regional institutions, academia, and NGOs, provides technical and oversight support to the Government of Belize and the CARICOM Secretariat. Reporting is done through CARICOM's Council of Ministers and Heads of State Meetings. This partnership will report to COTED. The Caribbean Climate Change Centre (CCCC), as the implementing agency would report to CARICOM Council of Ministers.
While further consultation would be required with the member countries, international agencies, donor organizations, regional organizations, NGOs, the private sector, and the CARICOM Secretariat to finalize the structure, it is likely that the partnership will be coordinated by a combination of the University of the West Indies Centre (UWICED) and the recently established Caribbean Climate Change Centre (CCCC) with implementation, where appropriate, by the relevant organizations e.g., CARILEC, CARICOM Secretariat, and CEIS.
* Collaboration would be needed with the CEIS in the formation of the sustainable energy network. CEIS functions as a semi-autonomous regional organisation under CARICOM, is the main repository of energy information in the region and one of the coordinators of energy activities.
* Privatisation of electric utilities has become a defining characteristic, and, with little exception, has limited interest in renewable energy; and they are unwilling to give serious consideration to developing a rate structure that would provide an incentive for entrepreneurs to invest in the sector. This defacto provides the utility with a monopoly in a free market economy. There is very limited energy policy analytical capacity in the region to help government assess and formulate energy policies that are in the best, long-term interest of the countries of the region. Whether under private or government ownership, the electric sector continues to be defined by high prices and less than desirable reliability and very dependent on imported fossil fuel, while the islands abound in renewable energy resources.
* Helping the region transition to a sustainable energy goal will require a longer than normal period of commitment to capacity building and public outreach. Initial co-ordination will be needed with the tertiary institutions across the region to develop curricula for energy management and renewable energy development that does not currently exist. Training material for diploma and certificate courses will also be needed. As well as delivery of training.
* National level coordination and implementation will be determined through in-country consultation. However at the national level, the agency responsible for energy or the environment, or planning and finance are possibilities. The national committee comprised of professionals from water, agriculture, tourism, environment, planning and finance, NGOs, and representatives of private sector, and donors, would ultimately make the decision on coordination and implementation at the national level.

The timeframe proposed is longer than the normal project cycle of three years. This is justified based on the necessary incubation time for capacity building and for the mobilising of this capacity to bring about change in the current dominant energy paradigm.
July 2003 - June 2004
* Agreement on framework for sustainable energy development.
* Regional plan for capacity building renewable energy and energy efficiency by member
countries at the Regional Energy Meeting.
* Detailed program design and implementation arrangements.
July 2004 - June 2005
* Establishment of the Sustainable Energy Network.
* Design of the Sustainable Energy Investment Fund.
* Design of the virtual sustainable energy demonstration centre.
* Resource mobilization to facilitate implementation of partnership.
* Preparation of training material including design of the virtual sustainable energy
demonstration centre.
July 2005 - June 2006
* National and community level education and outreach on sustainable energy.
* Initiation of training activities.
* Formulation of first set of projects for the energy investment fund.
July 2006 - June 2007
* The energy investment fund starts.
* Interim evaluation to examine the implementation of priority activities, monitoring, reporting, review of partnerships, initiatives and re-shape, re-establish as appropriate and required.
July 2010
* Begin final evaluation.

The first tier of monitoring and reporting on the initiative will be through the implementing body UWICED, which will report to either CARICOM's Council of Ministers for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), or depending on the wishes of partners, a combined committee comprised of COTED members and partners.

Amount in US$: 0

Required Amount in US$: not specified

Source(s) already approached: The partnership consists of five components. Funding will be mobilised for both the entire package as well as individual components. Components are as follows:
* Preparation of training material including the development of the virtual sustainable energy demonstration Centre and development of curricula and diploma and certificates studies material.
* Delivery of training - including fellowships for graduate work and research, including upgrading information capacity and establishment of the network.
* Sustainable Energy Investment Fund.
* Assistance with the formulation of policy and legal instrument to promote sustainable energy.
* Administration and staffing.
Possible sources of support include Finland, Denmark, France, Japan, EU, World Bank, E-7, UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO, private foundations, and the private sector.
This initiative seeks to extend and complement these existing arrangements and also attract other interested donors and parties.