This involves Identifying communities and companies to work with on assessing the biodiversity and livelihood implications of different energy options, on developing tools for assessing and managing impacts, and on mobilizing conservation knowledge and expertise in the context of key energy developments (e.g. through key policy and industry fora).

The national level of the Energy Initiative will largely be comprised of convening stakeholders in decision making support system fora for designing energy futures and providing technical guidance (through, for example, energy audits) to national governments. The national level work will provide a basis for IUCN’s international policy interventions.

At the international level, the Initiative will provide input into global policy processes discussing energy-related matters based on experience and knowledge built up through the national and site (local)-level work, and draw lessons from the policy discussions into the national and site-level.

Additionally, the Initiative will mobilize to influence voluntary corporate governance systems using experience gained through the work with the private sector and through insights obtained through national decision-making processes.

Key regional and international fora targeted so far include:

  • Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, ongoing
  • International Risk Governance Council, Governance of Bioenergy, ongoing
  • UN Commission on Sustainable Development 15th session, New York, May 2007
  • European Commission Public Consultation exercise on Biofuel issues, June 2007
  • German and British Forum, Energy security and ecosystems, London, Oct 2007
  • UN Climate Change Conference, Bali, Dec 2007
  • World Economic Forum, Energy security and ecosystems, Davos, Jan 2008