The International Network
for Sustainable Energy

INFORSE-Europe
General Description, Activities, Action Plans & Publications

INFORSE- Europe is one of the 7 regions of the International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE), which is a worldwide NGO network formed at the Global Forum in Rio in 1992. INFORSE brochure. (2 pages, 2007, 339 kB pdf)

INFORSE has more than 140 member organisations worldwide and works for implementation of sustainable energy solutions by exchange of information, awareness creation, formulation and implementation of strategies, and lobbying of international forums.

INFORSE-Europe has 75 members from 32 countries (2007 March), which are detailed in our membership list. Since 2002, INFORSE-Europe has been operating as a seperate economic entity. The Bylaws were adopted in 1994 and revised in 2005. More details may be found in the INFORSE-Europe brochure. (2 pages, 2006, 500 kB pdf).

INFORSE is a meeting place for NGOs working on grassroots level as well as on national, regional and international levels, all united on a common strategy for a long- term sustainable development with phasing out of nuclear and fossil energy use. (About membership)

The INFORSE network is facilitating practical and political exchange of experiences among NGOs, liaising with concerned multilateral agencies, creating political and public awareness, and seeking support for NGO activities.

INFORSE lobbies to promote sustainable energy solutions - renewable energy and energy efficiency - which utilise decentralised approaches. All activities seek to protect the environment, and to achieve development.

INFORSE Structure
The member organisations and the Regional Coordinator(s) organize regional meetings and initiatives including conferences, workshops, campaigns, and research projects. The regional meetings are the foundation of the network's democratic structure, with discussions of regional action plans and initiatives. The Coordinators work on regional action plans, secure regional focal-points of INFORSE and coordinate the INFORSE regions. The Coordinators also incorporate the views and initiatives of each region in the planning of the network's global activities.

INFORSE-Europe Structure
INFORSE-Europe members elect the organisation's Coordinator(s) and Board at the Annual General Meeting. All activities are conducted according to the INFORSE-Europe Bylaws and the INFORSE Charter. The Bylaws were adopted at the General Meeting in 1994 and modified in 2005.

INFORSE Activities:
INFORSE has Consultative Status with the UN ECOSOC. Comments, workshops, statements, exhibitions are prepared for several United Nations or Ministerial events and their parallel NGO Forums including:

• UN-ECE Working Groups on Environment and on Sustainable Energy in Geneva
• Follow up of the Rio Conferences, UN CSD Process. (CSD15 New York 2007, and CSD14 New York in 2006, CSD9 New York, WSSD & Civil Society Forum, Johannesburg, 2002)
• Follow up of the Johannesburg Conference (Bonn, 2004, Beijing 2005)
• Climate Conferences (UNFCCC) since '95
• European Environmental Ministers' Meeting ´98
• 5th International Conference on Adult Education ‘97
• UNESCO World Solar Summit ‘96
• World Summit for Social Development ‘95

INFORSE-Europe Action Plan for 2008 (under update)

• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 2007 (word doc comes)
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 2006 (word doc 69 kB)
• INFORSE-Europe Action Plan for 2006 (word doc 41 kB)
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 2005 (word doc 45 kB)
  INFORSE-Europe Action Plan for 2005 (word doc108 kB)
• INFORSE-Europe Action Plan for 2004 (word doc 46 kB)
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 2003 (See at the main page)
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 2002
• INFORSE-Europe Action Plan for 2002
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 2001
• INFORSE-Europe Action Plan for 2001
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 2000
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 1999
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 1998
• INFORSE-Europe Activities in 1997

INFORSE-Europe follows and reports on EU Policy developments.

INFORSE-Europe organises Annual Seminars and EU Policy Seminars:

- 2008 April 8, Brussels, EU Policy Seminar, Proceedings

- 2007 October 1-5, Samso Island, Denmark Sustainable Energy Seminar and Tour
- 2007 March, Brussels, EU Policy Seminar, Proceedings

- 2006 September, Solta, Croatia Proceedings
- 2006 March, Brussels, EU Policy Seminar, Proceedings

- 2005 September, Romania: Proceedings + General Meeting
- 2005 August, Solta, Croatia, Proceedings
- 2005 June, Brussels, EU Policy Seminar, Proceedings

- 2004 November, Budmerice, Slovakia Proceedings
- 2004 November, Brussels, EU Policy Seminar, Proceedings
- 2004 August, Spain, Proceedings + Reader

- 2003 CAT, Wales, UK Proceedings of Seminar '03
- 2002 Brussels, Belgium Proceedings of Seminar '02
- 2001 Denmark, (with Folkecenter, WISE and CNE) Proceedings of Seminar '01
- 1998 Aarhus, Denmark (with NGO events to the Environmental Ministers Conference)
- 1997 Budmerice, Slovakia (with Foundation of Alternative Energy)
- 1996 Copenhagen, Denmark with the 'City as Organism' conference
- 1995 Budmerice, Slovakia (with Foundation for Alternative Energy)
- 1994 Deister, Germany (with Energie- und Umweltszentrum am Deister)
- 1993 Folkecenter for Renewable Energy, Denmark
- 1992 Madrid, Spain (with AEDENAT, before AWEC Alternative World Energy Conference)
- 1991 Virtsu, Estonia (with The Estonian Green Movement)
- 1990 Folkecenter for Renewable Energy, Denmark

INFORSE-Europe is active in the Pan European Level through the Eco-Forum.

INFORSE- Europe's publications include:

• "Sustainable Energy News". Quarterly journal, Published since 1992.

• INFORSE Brochure.(English). Available in other languages. See flags on the index page.
  2 pages, (pdf file 339 kB English)
  
• INFORSE-Europe Brochure.Available in other languages. See flags on the index page.
  2 pages, (pdf file 500 kB)

• Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies

By Emil Bedi (FAE) and Raymond Myles (INSEDA), 2000.
English version.
Published CD and Update in 2002, 2004, 2005. 2007.
Russian version CD, 2007.


• Windpower for Western Europe, - an INFORSE Proposal for 2000 - 2020
  By Gunnar Boye Olesen, September 2000, 17 pages + annexes.

• "European Energy Conservation ECO-Activities, Strategy"

4-page Brochure to the European Environmental Ministers´ Meeting ´98 Aarhus.

• "Sustainable Energy Successes in Central Eastern Europe" (20 cases 32 pages), 1998

Edited by Gunnar Boye Olesen (OVE-Europe) from material provided by INFORSE-Europe and ECO-forum Energy and Climate Group's organisations. Update 2002 (internet only).
Project report supported by the Danish Environmental Support Fund to CEE and EU-DG11. Update supported by Forum for Energy and Development.

• “Renewable Energy and a Sustainable Development in a ‘liberalised’ Energy Market.”

Includes several countries of the European Union and California, USA.
1997, 67 pages. Shortened translated version from Danish.
By Gunnar B. Olesen (OVE-Europe) , Stefan Brendstrup (CASA), Niels I. Meyer (DTU; Technical University of Denmark)
Project report supported by the Danish Energy Agency.

• “Guidelines for Estimation of Renewable Energy Potentials, Barriers and Effects including case studies of Poland and Slovakia”, 1996, 1997, 67 pages. See page on sustainable energy planning.
  By Gunnar Boye Olesen (OVE-Europe), Emil Bedi (FAE Slovakia, PKE-Poland in cooperation with INFORSE-Europe.
  Project report supported by the EU-Phare Program.