Photo of solar panels in a field.

    Multi-donor partnership EnDev

    There are 666 million people around the world living without electricity and 2.1 billion people worldwide who do their cooking using technologies that are harmful to the environment and to their health. The implications of this for the climate, for health and education, and for income opportunities are dramatic.

    The multi-donor partnership EnDev is taking action here, putting a focus on:

    • Energy for people: EnDev has set itself the goal of improving quality of life for the poorest and the most disadvantaged population groups. So far, 33.9 million people have gained access to a climate-friendly energy services that are aligned with their actual needs. This includes cooking on improved stoves that are considerably less polluting and are therefore less harmful for the climate and for people’s health. In addition, more than 35,000 social institutions such as health centres and schools are benefiting from sustainable energy solutions. Alongside improved cookstoves, the solutions also include technologies based on renewable energies like solar pumps and photovoltaic systems.
    • Energy for economic development: Establishing markets for renewable energies helps to boost economic opportunities and create green jobs – especially in rural areas, which often lack access to energy. To date, EnDev has facilitated access to modern energy for almost 115,000 micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
    • Energy for the climate: EnDev promotes climate-friendly energy supply and supports low-income countries in their efforts to achieve their energy targets and realise their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – in line with SDG 13 (Climate action) and the Paris Agreement. Expanding the use of renewable energies is a way to lower greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce dependence on biomass and fossil fuels. At the same time, EnDev helps people become more resilient against the consequences of climate change, for example by switching to climate-smart agricultural methods. Thanks to EnDev, each year emissions equal to around 3 million tonnes of CO2 are being saved – that is as much CO2 as 2.55 million trees will absorb in their lifetime.

    The work of EnDev is aimed towards achieving measurable results and sustainable impacts, together with social, economic and environmental improvements. This means that the programme covers all three dimensions of sustainability.

    The BMZ is the lead donor, alongside the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. EnDev was co-financed by a long list of other donors, including Australia, the EU, Iceland, Sweden, the UK and the US, along with the IKEA Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP). The programme is managed by GIZ in close partnership with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl).

    In 20 partner countries in Asia and Africa, EnDev is helping to enable access to affordable, reliable, environmentally friendly, modern energy for all. The geographical focus is on Africa.