Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.95.980928183425.5203A-100000@selway.umt.edu> Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 18:37:16 -0600 From: Michael L Kustudia <mailto:kustudia@SELWAY.UMT.EDU> Subject: Sustainable Energy Network for the Americas To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Please excuse any cross-postingsWide international consensus exists on the critical importance of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies and practices in promoting sustainable human development and safeguarding environmental quality. Indeed such sustainable energy projects can help address an array of environmental and socio-economic concerns, ranging from global climate change to local community development.
In the 1990s, international gatherings, such as the Rio Earth Summit (UNCED), the Summit of Americas, and the Renewable Energy in the Americas (REIA) conferences, have affirmed the need for international cooperation on sustainable energy issues. Participants in the Summit of the Americas recognized that the recent and rapid growth of information communication technologies could foster such cooperation throughout the region.
Toward that end, the private, non-profit National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) has received seed funding from the US Department of Energy to develop a multi-lingual Internet-based communication network to facilitate cooperation among the countries of the Western Hemisphere on sustainable energy. As currently envisioned, the Sustainable Energy Network for the Americas (SENA) web site would provide information on renewable energy and energy efficiency news, country energy profiles, case studies, financing opportunities and links and contacts. The SENA project would also feature a forum section and a listserv to foster direct peer-to-peer communication.
The SENA website will tentatively be launched in late 1998. At this time, we wish to broadly invite the participation of the sustainable energy community in the Americas - individuals, community groups, and NGOs government agencies -- in developing this project. We welcome your contributions comments, and questions about this project. For more information on the Sustainable Energy Network for the Americas, please contact by email mailto:chrisa@ncat.org or michaelk@ncat.org or by fax at 406-494-2905.