ENG - UN CC:Learn

ARAB STATES
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
SPOTLIGHT
Increased Awareness Leads to Energy Efficiency and GHG Reduction 1
Mediterranean
Sea
Gaza City
GAZA STRIP
ISRAEL
Ramallah
Jerusalem
WEST BANK
Despite using relatively small amounts of energy per capita, energy efficiency was
low in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and had worsened throughout the
1990s, resulting in unnecessary releases of GHGs to the atmosphere. A number of
barriers existed to energy efficiency, including low priority of energy end-use efficiency,
limited information on improving energy efficiency, lack of consumer
awareness of energy efficiency potential, shortage of financing for energy-efficient equipment purchases and a lack of standards
governing quality of energy equipment.
As part of a regional initiative for energy efficiency in Egypt and the Palestinian Authority (PA), with US$ 2.475 million GEF
financing, UNDP and the Palestinian Energy Authority launched an energy efficiency improvement project in 1998 to help
reduce the long-term increase of GHG emissions from electric power generation and consumption of non-renewable fuel
resources. In responding to the new operating conditions, public and private industry invested in process modifications and
new machinery to remain competitive. This was realized due to the expectation that investments would
have favourable rates of return based on savings from reduced operating costs. The funding for this
project leveraged the new investments in ways that were most beneficial to the global environment.
To date, the main achievements of the project have been the establishment of a Palestinian
Energy Information Centre along with technical capacity building of the Palestinian Energy
Authority and various other stakeholders including electricity distribution companies. In addition,
over 180 energy audits were conducted for large commercial / industrial firms, reducing the
technical distribution losses in some targeted electricity distribution networks in the West Bank
and increasing the energy efficiency of the local market through the introduction of energy efficient
equipment and appliances.
Hebron
Jenin
Dead
Sea
JORDAN
CLIMATE CHANGE
QUICK FACTS
CURRENT PORTFOLIO BUDGET
Total UNDP and Co-Finance: $31,936,125
Total: $31,936,125
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