IAC and IAP Co-Sponsor Regional Energy Workshops

IAC and IAP Co-Sponsor Regional Energy Workshops

Academies Sponsor Workshops on Sustainable Energy

The InterAcademy Council (IAC) and the InterAcademy Panel on International Issues (IAP) are co-sponsoring regional workshops, in collaboration with regional academy associations, to address issues and recommendations of the IAC report Lighting the Way: Toward a Sustainable Energy Future.

AFRICA

The Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) sponsored an  IAP/IAC Regional Workshop on the Recommendations of the IAC report, “Lighting the Way Toward a Sustainable Energy Future”, focusing on Jatropha curcas-derived biofuel as a renewable energy source, took place from 22-23 February 2010, in Nairobi, Kenya, hosted by the African Academy of Sciences (AAS). The aims of the workshop were to:

• inform participants of the key recommendations made in the IAC Report;
• discuss best practices for agronomical, agro-biotechnological, and business-related issues in biofuel production;
• increase awareness on various government policies that may lead to investing in the commercial exploitation of Jatropha bio-diesel in African countries; and
• explore strategies that academies can employ to advise African governments to promote production of renewable energy through bio-fuels obtained from non-food sources such as Jatropha curcas.

The final report and recommendations will be available on the website shortly. For information, contact: j.olang@aasciences.org

AMERICAS

The Interamerican Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS), with the support of IAP and in partnership with the National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of Argentina and the Argentinean Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, organized the IANAS Workshop "Toward a Sustainable Energy Future", which was held at the headquarters of the Argentinean Center of Engineers, in Buenos Aires, on 30-31 October 2008. The main objective of this workshop was to present to key stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean region the conclusions and recommendations of the IAC Report "Lighting the Way: Toward a Sustainable Energy Future", to review the energy-related issues and challenges for the Americas, and discuss the strategies and mechanisms needed for regional implementation of the actions needed to effect a transition to a more sustainable way of life. The workshop brought together 130 high-level experts from 15 different countries, covering North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean region. The agenda, list of participants, final report, and copies of the presentations can be viewed on the IANAS website at: For more information, contact: mcbs@abc.org.br  More details can be found at: http://www.ianas.org/BuenosAires_en.asp.

ASIA

The Association of the Academies of Science in Asia (AASA) organized an international workshop on "Sustainable Energy Development in Asia" from 17-18 November 2008 in Beijing, China, hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) as part of the AASA’ “Sustainable Development in Asia” project. The event was organized by AASA and CAS, hosted by Institute of Electrical Engineering of CAS and sponsored by IAP. Participants included 26 representatives of 10 member academies and two observers. Participants shared information about the energy situation in their own country and addressed the common challenges in Asia in line with the recommendations from the IAC Report "Lighting the Way: Toward a Sustainable Energy Future" (2007) . Recommendations were also made on how to prepare a consultative report on sustainable energy development in Asia. For the workshop report and more details on the event, see : http://www.aasa-net.org/ (follow link to "Meetings" ref. no. 35) For more information, contact: aasa@kast.or.kr

The Network of Academies of Sciences in the countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference (NASIC) will host a Workshop on "Alternate Sources of Energy: Prospects and Options" based on the recommendations of the IAC Study "Lighting the Way: Toward a Sustainable Energy Future".  The workshop will be organized by the Pakistan Academy of Sciences in October 2010. Exact dates and venue to be announced shortly. For information, contact: Noman Zia Khan (Admin Officer NASIC) nasicpk@yahoo.com.