WISIONS of Sustainability

WISIONS energyXchanges: Platform to Accelerate Local Energy Access

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  • Project no.150029, 152244
  • Duration 01/2014 - 12/2022

Since its foundation in 2004, the WISIONS of Sustainability initiative has supported the dissemination of renewable off-grid energy solutions, mostly in rural regions of the Global South. Since the beginning of 2021, the WISIONS initiative has continued to address the current challenges of the energy transition in the Global South with the new project phase "WISIONS energyXchanges".
 
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is causing setbacks in virtually all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) directly related to the livelihoods of marginalised populations, such as poverty and hunger reduction (SDGs 1 and 2), ensuring basic services such as health, education, water and energy (SDGs 3, 4 and 7), and achieving gender equality (SDG 5). The Wuppertal Institute's research has shown that improved access to energy does not automatically trigger further development impacts. Therefore, it is necessary to acknowledge the status quo of the SDGs in the Global South and to specifically review the opportunities and barriers to achieve the 2030 Agenda. This is the basis of WISIONS energyXchanges approach to holistically address the conditions in the Global South based on the needs of the people. This approach is based on the following two principles:

  • Considering energy (access and use) as a means of securing and strengthening individual as well as community livelihoods and development opportunities.
  • The recognition and involvement of local people and organisations as key actors who can contribute capacity and knowledge to transform their livelihoods.

In this new phase, WISIONS energyXchanges aims to contribute to the increased recognition, development and application of holistic and people-centered approaches by stakeholders working for SDG7. To this end, two specific objectives are targeted:

  • To consolidate methodological tools for the practical realisation of the holistic and people-centered approach. The further development of the Innovation Lab concept of the Wuppertal Institute to address the specific challenge of local energy transformations in rural regions of the Global South.
  • The development of strategic alliances with influential actors at national or regional levels to accompany the application of the holistic and people-oriented approach in designing new or improving existing interventions in energy.

The WISIONS of Sustainability initiative was founded by the Wuppertal Institute in 2004 and the new project phase WISIONS energyXchanges is financially supported by the Swiss Pro Evolution Foundation.


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