One of the world's most famous non-profit organisations, the Clinton Foundation of former US President Bill Clinton, is to work with Seychelles to strengthen the islands' energy security on their path to a low carbon economy.

Seychelles' ambassador for Climate Change and SIDS Issues, Ronny Jumeau, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the foundation's Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) in New York.

Under the MoU, the CCI will focus on using waste, solar and biomass to produce electricity. 
Seychelles will also receive assistance to better understand the full potential for using these resources and how these can help us achieve greater energy security.

The plan is to achieve 30% self sufficiency in energy for producing electricity by the year 2030, and the main challenge is the availability of economically viable resource to utilise.

The country’s target for renewable energy will be 30% by 2030 (Vision 2020 exercise last year), as the wind farm will produce about 3% of the energy requirement and the waste to energy project will meet about 5 – 7%, by 2020. The PV project combined will meet between 3-5% of our needs.

The assistance from Clinton Climate Initiative will also give us clear indication on the achievable target to be included in the policy. We are very fortunate to have the assistance of the Clinton Foundation to assist us with this opportunity.

The MoU notes that "as climate change accelerates, small island nations will suffer a disproportionate share of the consequences, such as higher sea levels, more powerful storms and warmer, more acidic waters, despite contributing very little to global greenhouse gas emissions”.

The Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet, said the Clinton Climate Change Initiative comes at an opportune time as the Energy Act has now been established. 
Seychelles is already considering a number of proposals for investments in renewable energy and the partnership with the Clinton Foundation will provide Seychelles with support in achieving those goals.

Former President Clinton established the William J Clinton Foundation, as it is officially called, in 2001 at the end of his second term of office. 

The CCI is one of the foundation's seven initiatives covering global affairs, health, poverty, sustainable economic growth and domestic issues in the US. 

Its mission is to apply the foundation's business-oriented approach to fight climate change in practical, measurable and significant ways.

Forrás: www.nation.sc