The UNEP SEF Alliance

Joining forces to advance public finance for clean energy

The SEF Alliance is a grouping of visionary entities that are pushing the forefront of how to do public finance for clean energy.  The members have joined forces to advance their own work and the broader field as a whole.  The result: improved effectiveness of public and publicly backed organisations to facilitate, finance and transform clean energy and clean technology markets.

The SEF Alliance is under the remit of the Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative (SEFI) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) but is governed directly by its members and pursues activities according to their interests. Members use the platform to exchange best practices, pool resources, launch joint projects, assist governments in establishing new or different financing models, and generally evolve the overarching vision, understanding, and practice of this work.

SEF Alliance members include:

    Canada        Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
    Chile            CORFO Renewable Energy Centre
                        Energy Efficiency Programme
, National Energy Commission
    Finland        Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund
    Ireland        Sustainable Energy Ireland
    Mexico         FIRA, the Agricultural Trust Funds Development Bank
   
    UK               Carbon Trust   

Some key characteristics of the SEF Alliance:

  • It has a global geographic remit and a permanent secretariat with full-time staff.
  • It aims to help both developed and emerging markets strengthen public finance approaches in the clean energy sector, with related but distinct strategies in each case.
  • It is governed by a Steering Committee made up of representatives from the member organisations.

Start-up of the Alliance was supported by:

News

New members
Jan. 1, 2010
: Chile and Mexico join the SEF Alliance!

New release

Oct. 26, 2009: "Public finance mechanisms to scale up private investment in climate solutions", a new report by SEFI and partners, here.

SEF Alliance Annual Meeting 
Salzburg, Oct. 15-16: Click here.

U.S. Green Bank proposal
Oct. 2, 2009: A New York Times update on U.S. proposals for a federal Green Bank, here.

Lessons From Asia
September 29, 2009: Call seminar examining the public interest clean energy financing landscape in Asia with regional experts Clive Mason and Elaine Blatt. Learn More.

Stern climate finance paper
September. 17, 2009: New work from the Stern team at LSE on using public funds to leverage private investment in developing countries now available here.

All news...