Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
30 March 2022
Post No. 241
The Week’s Contents
• Energy Transition Support Services
• Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of Climate Action Month 2022
• Practical Takeaways from Climate Action Month 2022
… And much more!
Key Messages
• Energy Transition Support Services
The Light Season has already gone with the end of Winter 2022. However, Light Season’s Light and Net-zero Energy Projects have not yet gone. We still have projects that are going on and are coming to bring light to those who need it, in particular to these ones:
∝ People who have experienced destructive natural disasters and war events in Africa (that is why Light Projects were designed)
∝ Members of the CENFACS Community who need light to ignite their lives
∝ and Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) requiring light for themselves and or their locals.
Additionally, we have net-zero projects; that is projects aiming at achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. Among these net-zero projects are Energy Transition Support Services.
• • What are Energy Transition Support Services (ETSS)?
At the start of this month, we introduced our two Light Season’s New Energy Projects, which included: a) Programme for Gradually Phasing Down Coal and b) Advocacy and E-workshops about Energy Transition.
a) The Programme for Gradually Phasing Down Coal
The Programme for Gradually Phasing Down Coal is about working together with ASOs to plan a certain number of initiatives and activities (e.g. training, workshops, awareness raising, skills formation and development, etc.) to help their locals gradually reduce the use of coal or any polluting source of energy in the process of meeting their basic life-sustaining needs and services as well as of contributing to the net zero greenhouse gas emissions world.
b) Advocacy and E-workshops about Energy Transition
Advocacy and E-workshops about Energy Transition are part of energy transition projects and will help to work with the community on affordable way to embrace or keep pace with energy transition by smoothly moving towards carbon net zero or post-carbon economy; from polluting to cleaner, greener and sustainable energy.
By focussing on Advocacy and E-workshops about Energy Transition, we can argue that they (advocacy and e-workshops) are Energy Transition Support Services.
ETSS are our new and additional support to the community and our members in order for them to stay on track with the net zero greenhouse gas emissions and respond to the energy poverty amongst our members. They are energy transition solutions to shortening the net zero trajectory/journey.
This new and additional support has been expressed throughout the climate action notes which we provided (to highlight the theme of ‘Smooth the way to energy transition‘) during the last four Wednesdays. Particularly, the notes relating to how CENFACS can work with the community on energy transition, are useful in understanding ETSS.
In this post, we are presenting these ways of working with the community (or ETSS), which can be found under the Main Development section of this post.
• Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of Climate Action Month 2022
Any action to be successful needs monitoring and evaluation to know that it has been executed as planned and the changes that may happen over time as a result of this action.
To monitor our climate actions (Climate Action Month 2022), we have been routinely gathering information on all aspects of the climate actions conducted. We are examining what these actions have achieved or will achieve in relation to the aims and objectives we set up for them. This monitoring has enabled us to keep an eye on the progress made so far. In our approach to monitoring and evaluation, we included the four actions of our Climate Action 2022, which are: Plan to Reduce Coal Usage, Reduce/Phase Down Fossil Fuels, Cut Methane Emissions and Back Clean Energy.
Besides this monitoring activity, we are as well conducting evaluation for learning purpose. This evaluation will help us to learn something from these actions. It will also assist to check the actual outcomes against the objectives we set up for climate actions. When this evaluation for learning is completed, we shall carry out an impact evaluation to find out how working with the community would have some influences in the long term on their energy use, in particular for those having the share of their income highly sensitive to energy bills.
One of the monitoring and evaluation indicators/tools we are using is to collect the views from those who have been acting with us and/or those who have been following us. In this respect, we would like to ask them to tell us their feelings about the four climate actions taken as highlighted in the following simple questions. They can provide their feelings in the form of a review or feedback or testimonial. The results of their feelings will help to improve future climate actions.
Those participating to this survey can tick one box (ranging from 0 to 10) for each climate action. Ticking the box will indicate to us how satisfied they are with the delivery experience about each action taken. All the completed survey forms should be sent to CENFACS by mid-April 2022.
Those who want to provide feelings and would like to request the details about these actions prior to their response, they are free to make their request to CENFACS.
Thank you for considering our demand of feelings and for your support.
It will be good that those who would like to provide their feelings to do them by mid-April 2022.
• Practical Takeaways from Climate Action Month 2022
To deliver the theme of ‘Smooth the way to energy transition‘, we focused on four key climate actions from every Wednesdays of this month as follows:
∝ Plan to Reduce Coal Usage or Make a Plan to Phase down Coal (Climate Action 1, held from 02 to 08/03/2022)
∝ Reduce or Phase down Subsidies that artificially lower the price of coal, oil and natural gas (Climate Action 2, held from 09 to 15/03/2022)
∝ Cut Methane Emissions (Climate Action 3, held from 16 to 22/03/2022)
∝ Back Clean Energy (Climate Action 4, held from 23 to 29/03/2022)
What can we take away from these actions?
• • Key takeaways
The following are the main ideas to remember from March 2022 Climate Action.
1st takeaway
Being able to explore alternative and affordable sustainable sources of energy to coal can help to save money, especially for those who are having energy bills/share highly sensitive to their household income.
2nd takeaway
The energy dividend or money resulting from the cut of fossil fuel subsidies can be transferred to energy poor to consume cleaner, greener and sustainable energy.
3rd takeaway
Cutting methane emissions from households can help reduce health poverty or indoor environment poverty linked to the polluting air and energy generated by gas stoves or any other domestic appliances that may be faulty.
4th takeaway
An inclusive financial action that considers both the needs of the global commons and poor’s necessities has much chance to succeed than actions that solely focus on climate goals without or with little consideration to poverty and energy poor people.
For more details about the outcomes of CENFACS’ March Climate Action Working Days 2022, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Integrating Climate Actions with Poverty Reduction Goals
To proceed with the integration of climate actions and poverty reduction goals; we are going to define climate action, state climate actions taken this month, highlight CENFACS‘ poverty reduction goals and explore this integration.
• • What is climate action?
Climate action is an activity of engaging and putting ideas into practice to deal with any natural or induced change in the long term average weather conditions of a place, especially when this change adversely affects people’s and communities’ lives and livelihoods. In other words, it is any effort to mitigate the adverse effects of this change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening capacities and resilience to climate-induced impacts.
Climate action is also the 13th Goal of the United Nations’ (1) 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda.
In the context of CENFACS’ Climate Action Month for this year, climate action is about any undertaken efforts to work with energy poor so that they can reduce any greenhouse gas emissions they can emit via the type of energy or equipment they may use and move towards the use of affordable, clean and sustainable energy.
• • Climate Actions taken this month
We have so far taken four climate actions, which are:
a) Plan to Phase Coal down
b) Reduce or Phase down Subsidies that artificially lower the price of coal, oil and natural gas
c) Cut Methane Emissions
d) Back Clean Energy.
The above mentioned actions can be integrated with poverty reduction goals. Before doing this integration, let us briefly highlight the goals we are talking about.
• • CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction Goals
CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction Goals (2) are the following:
1. Reduce income poverty and poverty (or weaknesses) in earning capacity
2. Consume sustainably to reduce poverty and climate change
3. Tackle energy poverty
4. Support in-working poor people
5. Eliminate (inter/intra)generational poverty amongst women and children
6. Empower the digital and ICT (information and communication technology) poor people and communities
7. Help reduce climate-induced poverty or situational (or transitory) poverty amongst the victims of natural disasters and of destructive wars.
• • Integrating Climate Actions with Poverty Reduction Goals
It is possible to integrate the above four climate actions and the seven poverty reduction goals (PRGs).
For example, one can integrate the climate action of cutting down methane emissions and the goal of tackling energy poverty. In doing so, one can take PRG-integrated climate actions that could help to meet the needs of the global commons and the poor’s.
So, while we are conducting monitoring and evaluation of our Climate Action Month 2022, we are as well looking at the co-benefits and gains via PRG-integrated climate actions.
For those who are interested in the integration between climate actions and poverty reduction goals, they can contact CENFACS.
• Build Forward Better Donations Needed!
At the beginning of this Spring Relief season, we would like to take this opportunity to communicate to you our need of donations which is now greater than ever before. The lingering effects of the coronavirus and the current energy crisis have put serious pressure on the finances and other areas of operations of many organisations including ourselves. This is let alone the current level of inflation (that is, a sustained general rise in prices in an economy over a given period of time).
We need donations to help those are who still suffering from the legacies of the coronavirus and the current energy crisis so that they can build forward better cleaner, greener and safer.
We know that some of you have their income dropped because of the legacies of the coronavirus. The current energy crisis can only add more pressure on the way people earn and spend their income. However, for those who can, please do not hesitate to support as the need is still pressing and the stakes are still higher at this time.
You could be a life-saver or changer this Spring.
We look forward to your support. Many thanks!
• Zero Income Deficit Campaign
In focus at the start of Spring 2022: How to successfully close your year-end personal and family accounts and get prepared for the next financial year with new accounts
The current fiscal year is about to end soon and the new one will start from the 6th of April as usual. For those members of our community who are struggling to get a grip on their household accounts, there is still time to work with CENFACS to sort out their accounts. CENFACS can work with them so that they could understand their financial position while keeping financial control on their accounts.
This year-end financial control exercise is part of CENFACS’ Zero Income Deficit Campaign, which is designed to help our community members to reduce and possibly end intergenerational poverty.
For those who may be interested in this year-end financial control activity, they can contact CENFACS.
For your information, we do not deal with company accounts. We only support our community members who are experiencing some difficulties in handling their household financial accounts and statements (i.e. balance sheet, cash flow statement, surplus and loss account, etc.).
Donnez votre avis sur la transition énergétique
Le CENFACS mène un travail de recherche communautaire sur les difficultés que rencontre la communauté avec la transition énergétique. Cette recherche porte sur quatre domaines de nos actions climatiques, à savoir :
1) Élaborer un plan pour éliminer progressivement le charbon
2) Réduire les combustibles fossiles
3) Réduire les émissions de méthane
4) Soutenir l’énergie propre.
Cette recherche aidera à documenter et à comprendre les problèmes auxquels la communauté est confrontée afin de faire une transition en douceur vers une énergie nette zéro.
Cette recherche permettra également de mesurer l’effet de substitution de l’énergie au sein de la communauté; c’est-à-dire l’effet de substitution énergétique des combustibles fossiles (p. ex. le charbon, le pétrole et le gaz naturel) pour des énergies plus propres et renouvelables (comme l’énergie éolienne, houlomotrice et solaire) en raison d’une variation de leurs prix relatifs, en particulier et pas exclusivement pour les ménages à faible revenu.
La recherche aidera finalement à recueillir des données sur la façon dont la communauté a été affectée par la hausse du prix de l’énergie pour répondre à ses besoins énergétiques.
Pour participer à ces travaux de recherche, veuillez communiquer avec le CENFACS.
Main Development
• Energy Transition Support Services
The following items will enable to understand Energy Transition Support Services (ETSS):
What are Energy Transition Support Services?, What do these services consist of? Who can benefit from them? and How to access them.
• • What are Energy Transition Support Services (ETSS)?
They are work performed for or assistance given to our community members who need support to change or move from fossil-based (fossil fuels like coal, gas and oil) to zero-carbon (renewables such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and electric) materials bringing power (i.e. sustainable electricity, gas and water) to them.
This work or assistance is done with them through advice, information, tips, hints, advocacy and campaign. Through this work/assistance, we can assess and audit their energy needs, discuss with them their household energy sources and budget, inform them on energy-saving household appliances and alternatives, work with them on their journey to net zero and signpost them to services that could address their energy transition needs.
• • What do these services consist of?
They consist of what we can call ways of working with the community on energy matters. CENFACS can work with its members on the following four areas of energy transition: Making a plan to phase down coal, reduction of fossil fuels, methane emissions reduction, and backing clean energy.
• • • Four areas of work with the community
1) Working with and supporting the community on matters relating to Plan to Phase Down Coal consists of:
√ Identifying ways of reducing energy bills through personalised energy advice and tips
√ Signposting users to agencies dealing with energy or fuel poverty
√ Providing leads about energy auditing and assessment
√ Sharing with users both print and online sources and resources dealing with energy bills and payments, as well as energy efficiency.
2) Working with and supporting the community on matters relating to the Reduction of Fossil Fuel Subsidies consists of:
√ Sharing our understanding on how changes in fossil fuel subsidies can affect their household budgets
√ Updating them about any new and innovative practices in terms of energy use
√ Translating and interpreting in simple language complex issues of fossil fuel subsidies that can affect their lives
√ Helping them to save money on energy bills by sourcing with them affordable energy providers/suppliers and following energy saving tips and hints
√ Assisting them to transition towards cleaner, greener and sustainable energy via advice and targeted campaign messages.
3) Working with and supporting the community on matters relating to Methane Emissions Reduction consists of:
√ Advising members, particularly those who can afford, to use domestic appliances that reduce methane emissions (e.g. use of all-electric stoves instead of gas ones)
√ Reducing both environmental and health risks (e.g. respiratory diseases) through the choice of domestic appliances (e.g. cooking appliances) to be used
√ Suggesting and emphasising the ongoing message about fighting methane emissions via reduction of food waste and of meat consumption
√ Choosing diet that is net zero greenhouse gas emissions as far as methane is concerned
√ Encouraging them to use price comparison tools to compare and contrast prices from different energy suppliers and choose the one that suits their interest and need
√ Working with energy poor to help them take control of their energy
√ Directing them to supportive energy hubs, workshops and events
√ Explaining them what energy cap and energy rebate mean for their household energy budget
√ Lessening the impact of energy crisis on their household bills.
4) Working with and supporting the community on matters relating to Backing Clean Energy consists of:
√ Advocating to reduce financial barriers to participation to clean energy transition
√ Improving access to financing for energy-efficiency and fossil fuel-free upgrades
√ Campaigning to reduce energy poverty as a share of income spent on energy bills
√ Advocating to alleviate energy burden
√ Helping in the improvement of housing conditions for energy saving purpose
√ Supporting poor to be qualified for home improvements for energy saving and efficiency
√ Assisting them in their attempt to access cost-effective energy upgrades
√ Finding options that do not require debt to access clean energy
√ Raising awareness to them about energy efficiency measures
√ Helping them reduce energy bills via clean energy sources
√ Searching with them inclusive energy financing schemes that fit their needs.
Those members of our community who have problems with Planning to Phase Coal Down, Reducing Fossil Fuels, Cutting Methane Emissions, and Getting the Backing of their Clean Energy drive; and would like to work with us on these matters, they can contact CENFACS.
• • Who can benefit from them?
The first and direct beneficiaries of the above mentioned services will be and are CENFACS Community Members. Those who are connected to them can also benefit from these services. Members of sister communities working with us can indirectly benefit from them as well.
• • How to access ETSS
Access to ETSS can be done by
√ Booking an appointment for support on energy transition
√ Contacting CENFACS via phone, e-mail, text and completing the contact form on the page ‘contact-us’ of this website.
Services are free, confidential, open to everyone and held on a one-to-one basis or as a group and run by qualified, expert and committed volunteers. Although services are free, we do not mind voluntary donations of any amount from any service users.
Health protection and safety relating to the coronavirus pandemic and its variants are and will be included in the delivery of these services.
For any queries and/or enquiries about ETSS, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
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• References
(1) https://sdgs.un.org (accessed in March 2022)
(2) CENFACS, (2020), The Twenty-twenties (2020s) Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme at cenfacs.org.uk/2020/03/11/the-2020s-agenda-and-programme/
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Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year.
We do our work on a very small budget and on a voluntary basis. Making a donation will show us you value our work and support CENFACS’ work, which is currently offered as a free service.
One could consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future or as a New Year resolution.
Donate to support CENFACS!
FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO :Support Causes – (cenfacs.org.uk)
Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.
Thank you as well to those who made or make comments about our weekly posts.
We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2022 and beyond.
With many thanks.
