The German government has made energy one of the major issues of its EU Presidency. In order to accord renewable energies and energy efficiency a greater role in European neighborhood policy, German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul and German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel are hosting a ministerial conference in Berlin as part of Germany's EU Presidency.
The conference is the first time that so many environment and energy ministers from Europe, North Africa and the southern Caucasus have come together to discuss innovative policies and financing instruments to promote renewable energies and energy efficiency in the EU and its southern and eastern neighbors. Germany is currently supporting energy projects in 45 partner countries. Funding for ongoing projects amounts to around 1.6 billion euros. Of this, 929 million euros has been invested in projects to promote renewable energies – hydropower, wind power, solar power, geothermal power and the sustainable use of biomass – and 706 million euros in projects to boost energy efficiency.
The conference is being jointly staged by the German Development Ministry and the German Environment Ministry with the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, in cooperation with the European Commission. As well as energy and development ministers from the 27 EU member states and the EU's southern and eastern neighbors, the conference is also being attended by representatives of national energy agencies, business and civil society.