Latin America and the Caribbean faces the impacts of cascading crises, which imply further difficulties: including those related to employment, social inclusion, energy security, climate change and of the cost of living. ECLAC identified 7 transformative initiatives during the Sixth Forum of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean for Sustainable Development 2023, which if implemented at scale, can drive forward transformative change by producing synergies and multiplying effects. The sustainable energy transition stands out for its transformative potential, considering the region’s great endowment of renewable, clean and modern energy sources, (i.e. solar, wind and green hydrogen), strong existing engineering capacities and knowledge and critical minerals for the energy transition.

However, the region has also several energy challenges to overcome, with nearly 66% of its primary energy supply still originating from fossil sources, and around 17 million people still without access to electricity, while many more suffer from energy poverty. Inefficient energy use in most sectors is stagnant and there is a high ratio of electricity loss to move forward SDG 7. ECLAC is therefore strongly advocating public policies, programs and instruments to accelerate the sustainable energy transition in the region, promoting the implementation of five pillars: i) justice on universal access to electricity to reduce energy poverty and the creation of decent jobs, ii) an increased share of renewable sources in the energy matrix (particularly in transport and industries), iii) increased energy efficiency, iv) strengthened regional energy integration and interconnection, and v) increased energy security and resilience in the face of external shocks.

This project is intended to strengthen national technical and policymakers’ capacities of four target countries to design and implement energy policies, strategies and plans to tackle the multidimensional energy issues and take advantage of opportunities offered by the energy transition. According to national specific energy transition needs and challenges, the project team will develop capacity building activities and materials, including the elaboration of analytical documents, National Capacity Building Workshops, an Online Training Course, advisory services and coordination of south-south cooperation, Regional Policy Workshops, an Expert and Practitioner Network, and a Regional Energy Transition Acceleration Observatory. Results of the project are expected to contribute to de development of both national and regional roadmaps to better implement and accelerate energy transition.