III Ministerial Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA)

III Ministerial Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA)

Overview

The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) is a platform for hemispheric cooperation arising from the Fifth Summit of the Americas (Trinidad and Tobago, April 2009). At the II Ministerial Meeting (Merida, Mexico, 2015), the ministers decided to give the EPCA a management structure and the mandate to prepare a hemispheric action plan on energy and climate. This year, the III Ministerial Meeting, to be held in Viña del Mar, Chile, will provide a forum for exchange on the EPCA’s Pillars, promote dialogue among countries, as well as the public and private sectors, and promote regional synergies for progress towards the energy transition in the Americas, focusing on the development of more efficient, innovative, and affordable sustainable energy sources.

This meeting will address actions for advancing “Energy Transition in the Americas” and energy ministers from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean, as well as high-level representatives from international organizations and the private sector will partake of this important gathering.

The event will be inaugurated by Mrs. Michele Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile, and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Mr. Luis Almagro, ECPA’s coordinating institution.

Greetings from the host country

All across the Americas—a region with abundant renewable energy resources—countries are moving toward cleaner energy, driven by the urgency of a changing climate. The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) has helped shape our region’s efforts to tackle a range of challenges we all share. Yes, we still have a long way to go. Yes, the Paris Agreement on climate change is still in its infancy. But we are moving in the right direction. The Third Ministerial Meeting of ECPA, which Chile will have the privilege of hosting in September 2017, will give us an opportunity to sharpen our priorities, strengthen our cooperation, and deepen our commitment to a transition to sustainable energy.

-Andrés Rebolledo Smitmans, Chile’s Minister of Energy

Preparatory Process

First preparatory ministerial meeting: Miami, Florida, October 20, 2016

Second preparatory ministerial meeting: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 20, 2017

Venue

Sheraton Miramar Hotel & Convention Center I Viña del Mar, Chile

Viña del Mar is located on the central coast of Chile’s Region V, 120 km from Santiago, the capital city.

Over the years, Viña del Mar has become and remained a spa resort, taking advantage of its geography, residential character, landscape potential, and different construction works, which have made it Chile’s “tourism capital,” also known as such beyond Chile’s borders.

Viña del Mar has also been styled the “Garden City” because it was originally surrounded by large green areas and within its urban area still has beautiful large gardens with a multitude of native and exotic flower and tree species. It is the culture of the Viña del Mar community to create and maintain these types of areas.

Viña del Mar’s short distance from Santiago makes it readily accessible to tourists and a favorite national and foreign tourism destination. The city is also known for its Songfest, held every year in February. For more information, please visit: www.visitevinadelmar.cl.

Program

The ECPA’s III Ministerial will be a one and a half day meeting. On Thursday, September 7, presentations will be given on energy transition-related topics. These will be held by different international and national organizations as input for more in-depth discussion of their content. The opening session will be held in the afternoon, attended by Mrs. Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile, and other high-level authorities. Thereafter, a private meeting of ministers will be held to review and approve the ECPA documents. At the end of the day, a banquet will be given, hosted by the President of Chile at the presidential residence, Palacio del Cerro Castillo (by invitation).

Friday, September 8, will begin with a breakfast for the private sector and ministers. The working sessions will follow throughout the morning. The closing session of the Ministerial Meeting will be chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Mr. Heraldo Muñoz. Lastly, the private sector will host a tour of Pablo Neruda’s summer home, “La Sebastiana,” in Valparaiso.

Accreditation

Please confirm your attendance at www.energia.gob.cl/ecpa indicating in which ministerial events you wish to participate. This site contains the meeting agenda, logistical information, and other relevant content.

Should you have questions, please contact ECPA@minenergia.cl.

Prior ECPA Ministerial Meetings

The first Energy and Climate Ministerial of the Americas was held in Washington, DC, United States, in April 2010. This two-day gathering of energy ministers from the countries of the Americas was key to establishing the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), announced during the Fifth Summit of the Americas held Trinidad and Tobago in 2009.

The city of Merida, in Mexico, hosted the Second Ministerial Meeting, which took place in May 2015. This Event brought together energy ministers and high-ranking national authorities, who jointly agreed to design a dynamic Work Plan, with concrete actions to advance Western Hemisphere leadership in energy and Climate Change issues. This Meeting set the basis for a two-year Work Plan, and the establishment of a Steering Committee as the governance structure for the Partnership.

These Meetings have also laid the groundwork for an Action Plan for ECPA, which shapes the next steps for the Region’s energy agenda.

Related news

December 13, 2016 – ECPA: A Partnership for Sustainable Energy

November 07, 2016 – ECPA in Action: Energy Transition in the Americas

October 11, 2016 – ECPA Steering Committee launches preparatory process toward the 2017 ministerial