TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – The International Copper Association (ICA), a founding partner of the Efficient Appliances and Equipment Global Partnership Programme, has launched a communications campaign to demonstrate copper’s critical role in sustainable development.
The ICA noted on Monday that it was currently leading fundraising and outreach efforts for the programme, a global public–private partnership focused on market transformations towards energy efficient appliances and industrial equipment.
Through collective investments by ICA members – more than $50-million in 2015 – the association said programmes were able to be conducted around the world, increasing and/or protecting copper demand, and simultaneously making a positive impact on society.
To date, nearly $10-million in commitments had been raised for the partnership, including $1.4-million from the Global Environment Facility.
By 2030, the partnership aimed to reduce global electricity consumption by 10%, lower carbon dioxide equivalent to the emissions of 500-million passenger vehicles and to create economic development of up to $350-billion a year for industries and consumers, mainly in the developing world, through reduced energy bills.
The ICA, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Development Programme, the Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Programme and the Natural Resources Defence Council founded the Efficient Appliances and Equipment Global Partnership Programme, hoping to collectively provide the knowledge, experience and resources to make these massive goals a reality.
For example, the ICA had successfully worked with 40 countries on developing minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for motors. Mandatory MEPS were a cornerstone of the partnership and were absent in a vast majority of developing-world countries.
The association stated that the partnership’s goals could be achieved through mandatory MEPS and associated policies in six product areas, including motors, distribution transformers, residential air-conditioners and refrigerators, lighting and information technology.
“The copper industry is a long-standing and trusted partner of the UNEP. ICA continues to be a driving force behind this global partnership,” UNEP project manager Gustau Mañez Gomis said.
Rio Tinto Copper president and ICA chairperson Jean-Sebastien Jacques noted that through ICA, the copper industry had been a fundamental ally to the company's energy efficiency work.
"This partnership represents the culmination of 20 years of learning and experience in energy efficiency programmes made possible by the investments of ICA’s members. Leadership and support of this partnership unequivocally demonstrates the copper industry’s contributions and commitment to sustainable-development challenges worldwide,” he commented.
The Efficient Appliances and Equipment Global Partnership Programme aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, which aimed to make sustainable energy a reality for all the world’s citizens by 2030. The partnership was recognised as an official “energy efficiency accelerator” under SE4ALL.