(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Next week, November 11-17, is CARICOM Energy Week, to be observed under the theme, Sustainable Energy Powering a Green economy.

CARICOM Energy Week, first observed last year, was established as an annual event based on a mandate from CARICOM Energy Ministers in 2011 to provide a platform for increased awareness about energy matters, given the critical importance of energy to economic development.

This year, the Community is focusing mainly on building awareness about energy conservation and efficiency, and the development of renewable energy. Currently, the Region depends heavily on imported petroleum and petroleum products to the tune of US$9 billion per annum over the last few years.

The Community is also focusing on the necessity for a cleaner, greener energy outlook to mitigate the effects of Climate Change.

As part of the activities during the week, the CARICOM Secretariat will facilitate a panel discussion with regional energy sector experts on sustainable energy development in CARICOM under the theme Sustainable Energy: a Catalyst for National Development. The discussion will be televised across the Region on the evening of Thursday, 15 November, 2012.

The Secretariat is also providing funding support to some Member States to host Energy Week activities. These will include discussions on the roles of government and private sector in promoting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. Energy Week activities will also highlight the role of personal responsibility on the part of citizens in behavioural change and in the options they exercise when purchasing energy-consuming equipment.