Improvement of rural people livelihood
in cold desert areas of the Western Himalayas

Organisation & partners

GERES (Groupe Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarités)

GERES is a French non-profit NGO created in 1976 after the first Oil Shock. Today, 108 staff work on innovative and sustainable development projects in France and in eight African and Asian countries.

Environmental conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, reducing energy poverty, and improving livelihood of the poor are the main focus areas for GERES. The GERES team is particularly involved in the implementation of engineering solutions for development and providing specific technical expertise.

Activities include conducting energy efficiency programs, providing decentralized energy services for local economic development, supporting and developing renewable energies and promoting waste management. These activities are implemented in partnership with local stakeholders and communities on the basis of collaborative experience sharing.

GERES programs deal with the following areas :

• Improving conditions for agricultural production and processing to enhance family farms/small-scale agriculture systems and to promote food security in the South
• Optimising energy use in forest areas to preserve natural resources
• Promoting the development of renewable energy to intensify local production of clean energy linked with the environment
• Promoting waste management good practices to reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal
• Fostering energy efficiency and solar energy for sustainable development in mountainous areas
• Developing local biofuel solutions to meet energy needs of rural populations
• Promotion of energy-saving to limit consumption, decrease vulnerability, and mitigate climate change
• Developing new energy and technical services to improve rural living conditions
• Facilitating the integration of climate change into project development in Southern and Northern NGOs

Website : www.geres.eu

 

the European Commission

The objective of the European Commission’s (EC) Development Cooperation is to contribute to India’s efforts to improve the quality of life of the most disadvantages members of society. Starting in 1970s, EC’s development cooperation with India now totals Euro 2 billion (over Rs. 9600 crore). The European Commission is one of the largest bilateral grant donors to India.

The EC is currently supporting large-scale programmes in India in the areas of education, health and family welfare, and rural and natural resources development. European Commission assistance to India currently involves an expenditure of roughly Euro 100 million (some Rs. 480 crores). A large part of this is channeled to large bilateral programmes implemented by government departments. However, the EC also supports many projects undertaken by NGOs.

Priority areas:

• Education
• Health
• Rural Development and Natural Resources
• Poverty alleviation
• Democracy and Human Rights

Website: www.delind.ec.europa.eu

 

FFEM (French Global Environment Facility - FGEF)

The FFEM was set up by the French government in 1994 in response to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Its aim is to promote protection of the environment in emerging countries. Answering to the Ministries of Economy and Finance, of Foreign and European Affairs, of Ecology, energy, sustainable Development and Spatial Planning, and of Higher Education and Research, as well as to the Franch Development Agency (AFD), wich is responsible for its administration, the FGEF provides subsidy funding to outstanding projects in the field of sustainable development.

Website: www.ffem.fr

 

ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency)

The mission of ADEME is to encouraging, supervising, coordinating, facilitating and undertaking operations with the aim of protecting the environment and managing energy. Besides supporting the development and implementation of French policies in energy management and environment protection, the ADEME operates in Europe and worldwide, and responds to the needs of the countries with which it cooperates. It can take part in large multilateral meetings and in implementing the resulting decisions. The ADEME participates in a large number of bilateral or decentralised cooperation programmes, thereby assisting in the development of regional, national or local policies focussing on ways to improve energy efficiency, urban environment management, the use of renewable energy or access to energy in rural areas. It supports the development of policies in these sectors, and follows up on them with concrete actions.

Priority areas :

• Energy;
• Air, noise;
• Transport;
• Waste, polluted soil and sites;
• Environmental management.

Website: www.ademe.fr

 

GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit)

GTZ has been active in India for almost 40 years.

It provides viable, forward-looking solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world. Working under difficult conditions, GTZ promotes complex reforms and change processes. Its corporate objective is to improve people’s living conditions on a sustainable basis.

GTZ priority areas for cooperation with India are:

• Sustainable Economic Development;
• Energy;
• Environmental policy, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

Website: www.gtz.de

 

 

FONDATION ENSEMBLE

La Fondation Ensemble is a private state-approved foundation created by Gérard Brémond and Jacqueline Délia-Brémond, who had long cherished the idea of becoming involved in work in the public interest.

Priority areas:

• Water and sanitation;
• Sustainable development;
• Animal biodiversity;
• Solidarity;
• Environment.

These areas of involvement illustrate the founders' desire to combat poverty issues, whilst working towards long-term protection of the environement.

Website: www.fondationensemble.org

 

REEEP

The goal of the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is to accelerate the global market for sustainable energy by acting as an international and regional enabler, multiplier and catalyst to change and develop sustainable energy systems.

 

The partnership was established alongside the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. It is comprised of 260 partners including 40 governments as well as a range of private companies and international organisations. Its project activities primarily target the developing countries and the emerging markets. The partnership generates synergies through its close links with other international organizations such as UNEP, UNDP, UNIDO, the World Bank and the IEA, and is recognised by the G8 and APEC.

 

REEEP’s ten donor governments view the partnership as a vehicle for tackling both climate change and poverty reduction. In its 100 ongoing and initiated projects, the partnership assists governments in creating stable regulatory environments for renewable energy and energy efficiency, and encourages private sector entrepreneurs and the finance community to enter this market. All REEEP projects aim to stimulate reduction of CO2 emissions and/or poverty.

 

For more information please see the partnership website www.reeep.org, or www.reegle.info, a related search engine for renewable energy and energy efficiency resources.