LDC REEEI: By LDCs for LDCs

The Least Developed Countries Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative for Sustainable Development (LDC REEEI) is an LDC-initiated, LDC-owned and LDC-driven overarching framework to accelerate the harnessing of the renewable energy potential across least developed countries and to promote energy efficiency.

Under the mandate of LDC Ministers, the LDC REEEI aims to support LDCs to achieve their development aspirations by addressing three overarching goals:

  • 100% access to sufficient, affordable, modern and renewable energy by all citizens in LDCs by 2030;
  • 100% electricity from renewable energy sources in all LDCs by 2050 that caters to all needs of their citizens, social services and industries; and
  • 100% utilization of energy efficiency potentials along the value chain through full implementation of best practice measures and planning by 2040.

LDC REEEI Framework

At its core, the LDC REEEI is about energy for people-centered development. The Initiative recognizes the importance of energy for development and seeks to enable the LDCs achieve their Sustainable Development Goals, to align these efforts with the Paris Agreement’s objectives, and to revitalize the Istanbul Programme of Action.

LDC REEEI Framework

Implementation Approach

LDC REEEI will help shape, direct and prioritise efforts by LDCs and support by other entities, including international development partners, civil society partnerships and the private sector.

Focus will be on helping countries develop the most ambitious and comprehensive long-term plans and transformative policy packages for people-centred renewable energy deployment across LDC REEEI’s 8 work areas. 

The LDC REEEI Secretariat will work directly with countries, including helping them formulate ambitious funding proposals for GCF and other funding sources. 

The initiative will foster new forms of collaboration between multiple stakeholders and foster exchange of best practices and lessons learned. The inspiring examples of front-runner countries will bring other countries along. 

LDC REEEI simultaneously functions across strategic, technical, policy and partnership dimensions: and at the international, national and local levels. Different constellations of actors will contribute to the Initiative by engaging at one or several combinations of these dimensions and levels. Its working modalities present a new model for close collaboration and partnerships between governments and stakeholders.

LDC REEEI Publications

LDC REEEI Framework Executive Summary

Executive summary (4 pages) of the LDC REEEI Framework. Learn more
English French

LDC REEEI Framework

Framework Document outlining the goals, objectives, vision, work areas and background context for the LDC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative for Sustainable Development, originally endorsed by LDC Ministerial meeting in 2017. Learn more
English French

LDC REEEI 2-page brief

LDC REEEI explained in two pages Learn more
English French

Work areas

LDC REEEI has 8 work areas:

  1. Mapping and monitoring
  2. Knowledge, capacity mobilization, building, and learning
  3. Planning and policy
  4. Funding and financing
  5. Multi-stakeholder engagement and people-centred/community energy systems
  6. Equity, women and social/environmental safeguards
  7. Enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions and national development plans
  8. Public awareness, communication and outreach

Find more details about the work areas here.

LDC REEEI Principles

LDC leadership

The Initiative is initiated, owned and driven by LDCs. It is designed to provide a unique platform for LDCs to affirm their priorities and visions, and direct non-LDC partners to support these visions.

Country-driven

Countries are sovereign in their choices and decisions. Recognizing that each country is unique, the LDC REEEI shall support different technologies and implementation models that are appropriate to the country context.

LDC solidarity and cooperation

The LDC REEEI is about LDCs supporting each other. Pioneering LDCs shall support other LDCs and foster cooperation rather than competition. The Initiative will also work towards reducing LDCs dependency by promoting cooperation with a wide range of partners.

Equity at heart

The Initiative is firmly grounded in the principle of equity at all levels. This includes the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities’ at the international level, equity between LDCs, gender equity, and protect the rights of marginalized groups and indigenous peoples.

Bottom-up, smart, distributed energy systems

The Initiative shall actively promote smart, distributed and people-centered systems; and the application of innovative technologies that are appropriate for, and empower, communities.

Meet the needs of local productive sectors

The LDC REEEI will work towards ensuring energy systems cater to the needs of smallholding farms and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; sectors that constitute the backbone of LDC societies and are essential for promoting local economies.

Diversified ownership towards people- and community-centered energy systems

By empowering citizens, communities, cooperatives, public institutions, and private entities to become power producers, the Initiative shall enhance energy democracy, local economic development and resilience.

Participation and multi-stakeholder engagement

The Initiative shall promote and facilitate the genuine involvement of local governments, citizens, communities, civil society, academia, private firms and media in the energy transition. New ways to foster engagement in decision making processes and search for solutions shall be continuously explored and refined.

South-South and North-South cooperation

While the LDC REEEI is driven by LDCs, it is also a collaborative endeavor, and thus will stimulate partnerships with non-LDC countries and relevant institutions in the global North and South

Explicit efforts to transition to zero-carbon societies

The Initiative was conceived and originates in the context of the international climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. While the Initiative goals, objectives and work areas are framed from an energy and development perspective, the climate dimension is an equally important motivation.

LDC Leadership

Through LDC REEEI, LDCs will work together and pioneer a model of energy and development that is in accord with what both people and the planet need.

LDCs can take strong and international leadership with collective, decisive action towards rapidly increasing the share of modern renewable energy in their energy mix, to set examples and exert moral pressure on those emerging economies and developed countries that are slow to take action.

LDCs can also lead the way of innovation and deployment of distributed energy resources. Worldwide, countries are seeking ways to provide reliable and resilient power to isolated communities and to provide essential services such as health and security.

How to support LDC REEEI

There are multiple ways for countries and institutions to support the Initiative:

» Become one of the pioneering LDCs to work closely with LDC REEEI.

» Directly support the LDC REEEI establishment phase by supporting its core secretariat functions.

» Support approval of funding for countries approaching the GCF with comprehensive national plans aligned with and developed through the LDC REEEI.

» Support efforts aligned with LDC REEEI principles and work areas in accessing other bilateral and public funds.

» Have the LDC REEEI Framework guide and align international partners’ priorities for both North-South and South-South cooperation.

» Develop partnerships with governments and stakeholders that explicitly support the LDC REEEI Framework.

» Highlight and promote the goals, objectives and principles of LDC REEEI across relevant international fora.