News facts
As part of its technology transfer efforts in Colombia, the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) assisted in prioritizing economic sectors in the country with the highest potential to improve energy efficiency. Based on the analysis, transport and industry sectors were prioritized and CTCN experts proposed new actions, policy instruments, and transversal measures for the country to implement. These CTCN recommendations are now being incorporated in a new national policy framework, which will officially become law.
“The outcomes of the technical assistance will enable an update of the Indicative Plan of the Rational and Efficient Energy Use and Other Forms of Non-Conventional Energy (PROURE). The technical assistance was adapted to national circumstances, such as including recommendations for non-tax incentives, which is very useful due to the actual national fiscal scenario”, says Rodrigo Suárez, CTCN National Designated Entity of Colombia, Directorate of Climate Change of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.
The CTCN technical assistance had two main objectives: evaluation of the effectiveness of existing incentives; and proposal of broader incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy. Both objectives were achieved and the recommendations made will be incorporated into the policy framework. The “PROURE” will be adopted into law at the end of 2016, providing incentive guidelines and improving related processes for the next 5 years, with the aim of increasing energy efficiency. As a result of the assistance provided by CTCN, Colombian policymakers are also equipped with a monitoring methodology to assess the new instruments.
The proposed policy framework will enable the implementation of mitigation actions to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in the country as defined in Colombia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This technical assistance is one of three requests made by Colombia for CTCN technology transfer; the other two focus on developing a national adaptation system and assessing the feasibility of implementing mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) systems, respectively.