Dimensions of the energy transition: Dialogue and Cooperation

To enhance the collaboration efforts towards the Energiewende (energy transition in German), the German – Mexican Energy Partnership and the Government of the State of Puebla through the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Territorial Planning of the State of Puebla (SMADSOT), organized the Virtual Regional Forum entitled "Global Trends in Energy Transition and Climate Change: Subnational Level Actions”. The objective of this forum is to promote dialogue and cooperation at the subnational level for the creation of capacities on energy transition processes, considering the multiple effects and dimensions of sustainable development.

To date, three webinars have been successfully implemented, some of them with the support and collaboration of programs and projects implemented by GIZ in Mexico, such as the Enhancing the Coherence of Climate and Energy Policies in Mexico (CONECC) program, the Energy Transition Support Program in Mexico (TrEM) and the Financing Energy for Low-carbon Investment – Cities Advisory Facility (FELICITY) project.

The topic of the first webinar, held on October 27th, 2020, was the discussion around the trends reflected in the international commitments for the global energy transition. It delved into the commitments that Mexico assumed at the international level, such as the 2030 Agenda and the international cooperation mechanisms, useful in the fight against the climate crisis.

For the second webinar, held on January 22nd, 2021, the GIZ project CONECC, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU), was involved in the organization and implementation. The dialogue revolved around the social, economic, and environmental co-benefits of the energy transition. Emphasis was given to actions aimed at promoting renewable energies and the adoption of energy efficiency measures at the local level. This session demonstrated that beyond the beneficial impact on the environment, there’s a possibility of increasing social and economic benefits derived from the energy transition, such as job creation, promotion of community energy development schemes, strengthening of value chains, among many others. Participants understood the urgent need to use instruments and mechanisms to quantify and identify the challenges, opportunities, achievements, and strengths of the energy sector in Mexico.

The third webinar, held on February 26th, 2021, served as a useful platform to discuss the role of distributed electricity generation for the energy transition, its implications and benefits for sub-national actors. The emphasis was placed on the importance of local promotion through multiple strategies such as financing facilitation, technology deployment, training promotion, among others. In this session, examples of distributed generation were analyzed, such as the “Ciudad Solar” program of Mexico City, energy cooperatives and virtual power plants. The event was held in collaboration with the TrEM program, commissioned by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation (BMZ).

A fourth webinar is expected to take place. The main topic of discussion will be the proposal of a toolbox to implement specific public policies from practical application cases to transform the energy sector while supporting the energy transition.

Representatives of the Mexican Federal Government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Mexico, the Energy Agency of the State of Puebla (AEEP) and the Government of Mexico City have participated in the series.

For more information on the dates and times, visit the official Twitter account of the Energy Partnership by clicking here.

For more information on past webinars visit:

#transformingtogether #energytransition

Contact: William Jensen (william.jensen(at)giz.de)

ES