Participation at this meeting, held in Bali from 3 to 15 December 2007, was designed to meet several objectives: networking with the NGOs; participation in a parallel workshop organised by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs on the mobilisation of European and French cooperation agencies in the sphere of climate change. This workshop sought to share the approach of the European Commission, the experiences of French, German and British cooperation as well as the experience of French organisations in the field of international solidarity. As part of this parallel workshop, Gret presented the principal results of the study on the role of French international solidarity organisations carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MAEE) and presented the activities of the SUD Coordination Climate and Development ad hoc Group. Gret formed part of the Climate Action Network – France (RAC-F) delegation. As far as the negotiations were concerned, Gret took a particular interest in questions linked to the adaptation and transfer of technologies, attending several parallel workshops on these sub-jects, on deforestation and climate change (in particular “avoided deforestation”). As part of the RAC-F activities, Gret contributed to the drafting/translation of the bulletin of the “ECO” negotiations (link to the RAC-F site created on the RAC-F website on the occasion of the CdP.

A “Climate and Development” ad hoc group was set up in July 2007 within coordination SUD. This group comprises some twenty international solidarity and environment NGO organisations. It is important to work closely with the environment NGOs in order to ensure the mobilisation of the solidarity organisations involved in climate change. Gret coordinates this work group in conjunction with the Climate Action Network – France (Réseau Action Climat France – RAC-F). In this context, Gret has drafted several articles for the Coordination SUD weekly newsletter and taken part in international events (European Development Days, United Nations Conference on Climate Change).

The general goal of the project is to improve socioeconomic conditions for populations in small villages in the Brakna by allowing them access to electricity services, develop models that can be duplicated on the large scale, and develop the skills of various participants and local actors interested in theses issues. Notably, the project seeks to test and validate a model schema for small-scale hybrid (solar/diesel) electrification (approximately 10 to 20 kW), involving local populations and institutions and implementing credit mechanisms and innovative public-private partnerships while remaining environmentally friendly.