The CSET Agenda encourages and promotes collaboration amongst Commonwealth countries in the transition to sustainable energy systems and action towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in particular SDG 7. As such, member-led Action Groups drive the CSET Agenda. These voluntary coalitions comprise of member countries who wish to share knowledge and expertise, align strategies and collaborate on joint initiatives to address key challenges facing the sector.
To date, three Action Groups have been formed on Energy Literacy, Geothermal Action and Youth Action, with ‘Champion Countries’ stepping forward to rally action and steer activities for each.
Energy Literacy
This Action Group launched under the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda, focuses on promoting energy literacy as an important tool for achieving a just and inclusive energy transition across the Commonwealth. Members of the Action Group will share knowledge and best practices and jointly develop initiatives aimed at increasing energy literacy especially amongst children and youth as well as local communities and growing collective awareness of societal changes required to support a just and inclusive energy transition.
Eswatini champions the Action Group on Energy Literacy.
Geothermal Action
This Action Group, launched at the 2020 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda, seeks to encourage the development and deployment of technologies and innovations to accelerate the energy transition, including geothermal energy. Currently, geothermal energy makes up less than one percent of renewable energy sources. Only four Commonwealth countries have installed geothermal energy, but significant potential exists to increase significantly by 2050.
Kenya, a world leader in the sector, champions the Action Group on Geothermal Energy.
Youth Action
This action-oriented task force was launched in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2020, under the Commonwealth Youth for Sustainable Urbanisation network. The Action Group will focus on driving youth action under the three pillars of the CSET Agenda, in particular the Technology on Innovation pillar, as well as advocacy for greater youth engagement in the development of policies and regulations for sustainable energy and the energy transition.
This Action Group is led by an interim steering committee made up of representatives from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Tanzania and Singapore.