The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas is a program of the Department of Sustainable Development of the OAS that promotes sustainable energy development in the region towards a net-zero emissions future.
We support countries in the Americas in their transitions to clean, resilient and inclusive energy systems by acting as a platform for multilateral coordination, public-private cooperation, capacity building and outreach.
The ECPA action plan is based on six fundamental pillars that guide the program’s initiatives:
Cleaner Energy Sources
Promote the decarbonization of the energy system, transportation, industry, and housing in the Americas, through cooperation for the sustainable production and use of all forms of renewable energy and other low-carbon sources to enhance the sustainable energy development of the region.
Universal Energy Access
Ensure universal access to clean, safe and affordable energy, prioritizing sustainable energy development in rural areas, vulnerable regions and historically marginalized communities.
Promote inclusion in the energy sector, fostering ethnic, social and gender diversity and equality in regards to employment, wage, training access and leadership opportunities.
Energy Efficiency
Encourage the development of public policies that promote responsible energy consumption and the adoption of more efficient and cleaner technologies in the residential, industrial, commercial and transport sectors.
Regional Integration
Promote technical and policy coordination for interconnection based mainly on renewable energies, harmonization of standards and exchange of knowledge among the countries of the Americas.
Energy Resilience
Promote the development of energy systems with greater capacity for adaptation and recovery from the impacts of climate change, with particular consideration of the specific vulnerabilities of island states and developing countries.
Innovation
Promote research and implementation of new technologies and processes, as well as nature-based solutions, that accelerate the energy transition and contribute to the adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change.
At the Summit of the Americas held in April 2009 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, the leaders of the Western Hemisphere noted that the energy transition is one of the most significant challenges that their countries will face and reaffirmed their commitment to work together for a sustainable energy future.
In response to this issue, the governments of the region, together with civil society and private sector representatives, promoted the creation of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas as a flexible mechanism for the development of shared strategies to encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources and promote climate action.
In June 2009, at the Symposium on Energy and Climate in the Americas, the participating governments established the fundamental guidelines and initial structure of the program, leading to the creation of a Technical Coordination Unit in charge of organizing, promoting and supervising the actions carried out by ECPA.
Since its creation, the Technical Coordination Unit has operated within the Department of Sustainable Development of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and is committed to fostering inter-institutional partnerships, promoting dialogue among countries and stakeholders, generating opportunities for the exchange of experiences and leading outreach initiatives.
At the Second Ministerial Meeting of ECPA held in Merida, Mexico, in May 2015, the participating countries stressed the need to boost operational aspects of the Partnership. To that end, they established a Steering Committee which guides ECPA’s activities and seeks to represent the interests and particularities of each sub-region in the Americas.
Through this governing body, the participating countries lead the Partnership to ensure its effectiveness, propose actions that support the priorities identified in the Action Plan, and identify technical and financial resources to undertake them.
The Steering Committee comprises 10 countries and is chaired by the Dominican Republic, as the host of the 2024 ministerial meeting:
Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and United States.
