On November 15 (local time), the thematic event on "Strengthening Capacity Building for the Energy Transition" took place in Belém, Brazil, the host city of the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30). This event was jointly hosted by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), the Paris Committee on Capacity-building (PCCB), the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET). The event aims to analyze and discuss capacity gaps in the energy transition and to create a platform for international organizations to exchange experiences and best practices in capacity building.
More than 80 guests, including senior representatives from UN agencies, governments, and international organizations, attended the event onsite. H.E. Mr. Gu Shengzu, Former Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Mr. Wu Xuan, Secretary General of GEIDCO, and H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma, Co-Chair of PCCB, delivered opening remarks. Prof. Saifur Rahman, 2023 IEEE President and CEO, Mr. Shah Abdul Saadi, Director of Economic Relations Divisions, Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh, Mr. Riad Meddeb, Director of UNDP Sustainable Energy Hub, and Ms. Gloria Alvarenga, Director of Integration, Access and Energy Security, OLADE, delivered keynote speeches. Ms. Julia Souder, CEO, Long Duration Energy Storage Council, Mrs. Annika Ölme, CTO, SKF Group, Mr. Tamojit Chatterjee, Sr. Energy Policy Specialist at SEforALL, and Ms. Elizabeth Nelson, senior manager at CEET, and other experts participated in a panel discussion on practical experiences in capacity building for the energy transition.
H.E. Mr. Gu Shengzu pointed out the need to build a just and rational global energy governance system and drive the energy transition by transforming ambition into concrete actions. He called for promoting innovation in green energy technologies, integrating effective market mechanisms with proactive governance, and realizing a deep integration of green transformation and digital intelligence upgrades. He further emphasized deepening international exchange and cooperation in global energy governance to contribute wisdom and strength to building a clean, beautiful, and sustainable planet.
Mr. Wu Xuan noted that capacity building is a vital foundation for promoting energy transition and addressing climate change. Many developing countries are constrained by limitations in technology, talent, and funding, leading to slow progress in green and low-carbon transformation. All parties need to work together and take swift action, focusing on strengthening the exchange and sharing of technology, fostering skilled professionals, and enhancing support for projects as well as investment and financing.
H.R.H. Princess Abze Djigma, Co-Chair of PCCB, stated that energy transition is not only an issue of technology or finance, but also a systemic effort involving talent, skills, and capacity building. She affirmed that the GEI Initiative is establishing a new paradigm for sustainable energy development and thanked GEIDCO for its leadership as the lead institution of PCCB Network Energy Cluster.
At the event, GEIDCO, together with the UNFCCC Secretariat, the PCCB, and other institutions, announced the launch of the joint research project "Identifying Gaps and Needs in Global Energy Transition Capacity Building." This project is a key research topic under the mechanism of the PCCB Network Energy Cluster. Through in-depth research and evaluation, it aims to accurately identify the multidimensional capability gaps and deficiencies faced by governments, enterprises, financial institutions, research institutes, and other stakeholders in various regions during the energy transition. These gaps include areas such as policy, technology, talent development, investment and financing, and international cooperation. The findings will provide essential guidelines for the international community to more precisely gear up their capacity building efforts in energy transition. Relevant UN agencies, international organizations, think tanks, universities, and other institutions will provide expert and technical support for the project. The event also featured exemplary cases of energy transition. Energy conservation and carbon reduction projects such as the green dock, "Taoqibao," smart street lights, urban ultra-fast charging stations, and shared electricians by Ningbo Power Supply Branch of State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. sparked heated discussion among the attendees.
The event was co-chaired by the Head of the Operation Bureau of GEIDCO and the Programme Officer of Capacity-building Sub-division, Means of Implementation Division at the UNFCCC Secretariat. Ms. Sophie De Coninck, Director of the Means of Implementation Division, UNFCCC Secretariat, delivered the closing remarks.
During COP30, GEIDCO representatives participated in the opening ceremony of the seventh Capacity-building Hub at the UNFCCC Secretariat and delivered a speech presenting its capacity building efforts. At this session, GEIDCO and the UNFCCC Secretariat jointly hosted a series of "Energy Day" capacity building activities, and co-organized thematic events with LONGi Green Energy and the China Energy Research Society, including "Beyond Photovoltaics: Building a Resilient Net-Zero World" and "Enhancing South-South Cooperation - Capacity Building for Climate-Resilient Development and Sustainable Energy Transitions."
GEIDCO is actively engaged in global capacity building initiatives, having established a "Five Databases and One Platform" capacity building training system to systematically advance its related work. To date, more than 30 energy and power training programs have been organized across various regions worldwide, especially in countries of the Global South. Over 10,000 government officials, corporate managers, and technical professionals from more than 80 countries have participated in these training sessions, significantly enhancing their independent capacity to drive energy transition initiatives. GEIDCO has actively promoted international cooperation in capacity building, establishing strategic partnerships with institutions such as the UNFCCC Secretariat and UNDP. Through joint training, faculty sharing, curriculum development, and other forms of diversified collaboration, these efforts have laid a solid foundation for the global dissemination of green and low-carbon development concepts and for cross-national and cross-regional exchanges. This has injected crucial impetus to accelerate energy transition, address climate change, and support high-quality development in relevant sectors.
