About INFORSE
INFORSE is a network of independent non-governmental organisations working for sustainable energy solutions. INFORSE was formed at the Global Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. INFORSE has more than 150 members.
Vision and Aims
INFORSEs common vision is to develop a world where energy services, necessary for a just and human centered development, are provided in a sustainable way using renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, biomass, biogas, micro hydro).
This implies:
Defending the environment and combating climate change
Phase out of nuclear and fossil energy consumption
Increased reliance on local solutions
Equal access to energy for all
Improved basis for income generation through renewable energy solutions,
particularly for the poor
Increased energy efficiency
Reduce the drudgery of women.
The achieve these, INFORSE and its members work on:
Communicating of experiences, know-how and visions of member organisations
to the public and to decision makers
Promoting greater participation among civil society organisations in the
elaboration of energy strategies and policies
Influencing national, and international decision making
Increasing NGO capacity, developing and providing educational tools
Reforming the regulatory framework and market conditions
Integrating environmental, and social costs in the prices
Mobilising investment, research and development, and transfer of technology.
Influencing Global Agenda
INFORSE has NGO consultative status at the UN ECOSOC
and UNFCCC, and using this INFORSE participates in UN events and their parallel
NGO Forums such as the
Johannesburg Summit 2002, and other follow-ups of the Rio Conference, as well
as UNCSD and UN Climate Change Conferences.
Structure
INFORSE is organised around the regional coordinators,
who are working to facilitate co-operation among the member organisations.
The members elect the
coordinators at the general meetings.
Sustainable Energy News
A quarterly newsletter published since 1992. The issues are available in pdf
files from the INFORSE web site.
Contact List - Online Database
1000 contacts of NGOs, and, research, and educational institutes and decision
makers. The database is online and
searchable according to members, contacts, name of organisation and country.
Seminars
INFORSE-Europe has organised NGO seminars since 1992.
Education
· Online resource database including games,
experiments, teaching material,
projects and programs.
· Cooperation with SPARE, which is an educational school material
used
in
Russia,
former CIS countries, Poland and
Romania.
· DIERET
- Distance
Internet Education - renewable energy self-training
course in English on a post-graduate level. The course is primarily targeting
European NGOs. Translated
to Russian and Slovakian.
Cooperation Projects
Members are cooperating in projects making mobile
exhibition, publications, study visits, campaigns, etc. INFORSE-Europe has
participated in projects like in the Low Carbon Societies
Network (EU FP7 Project), Southern Voices Project on Climate Change,
Europe Aid Belarus Project,
Europe Aid Kazakh-Ukranian Project etc.
Vision 2050 - 100% Renewables
INFORSE assists its members with preparing national
visions and strategies for transition to sustainable energy systems, following
the excel-sheet based model.
Models are developed for EU, and countries e.g. Bulgaria, Denmark, Lithuania,
Latvia, Belarus, and Romania.
Follow EU Policy
INFORSE-Europe follows EU energy and climate policies
and comments on relevant parts based on inputs from the members. Updates and
INFORSE-Europe positions
are available on the web site. Among the
EU policies are structural funds, renewable-energy and energy-efficiency
directives. INFORSE-Europe has a permanent seat in the Consultation Forum on
Ecodesign
of Products (EuP)
together with WWF, Greenpeace, Climate Action Network Europe,
EEB, ECOS and other NGOs.
Membership
INFORSE is open to membership for independent non-governmental, non-profit
organizations that support the INFORSE Charter, and in Europe also the INFORSE-Europe
Bylaws. Membership is free of charge.
INFORSE and INFORSE-Europe Secretariat:
Klosterport 4E, 1.sal, th.
DK-8000, Aarhus C
Denmark
Ph: +45-86227000
E-mail: ove@inforse.org
See also our web pages:
www.inforse.org
www.inforse.org/europe