Page - (000223) - in Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable Development

also leads to theconclusion thatwhentherearemultiple institutions involved in the implementationofaproject,coordinationamongthemneedstobeplannedfromthe outset. Some of the case studies presented problems because they lacked such coordination. Cultural, political, economic and social differences also play a role and can be bridged through long-term social interaction and trust building. Although this is possible and increasingly recognized, not all donor and develop- ment entities understand its importance or the need to allocate appropriate resources.Social interactionshouldbea two-way learningprocess: thecommunity learnsabout theprojectand themeans toachieve it, and thedonor/developer learns about thecommunity includingitsneedsandbackground,amongother information (GEF2006). The case studies analysed did not have a ‘social funding’ to help the poorest people,which still can not count on renewable energy as amodern energyoption. Some projects would like to have one but presently can not afford one. Implementing one would require increasing the electricity tariff which is not possible. The lack of this ‘social funding’mechanism is considered by some to increase the inequality gap.During the planning and execution phases of projects, social and economic differences among the population are not always considered, leaving the poorest population vulnerable. AsKrause andNordstr€om also found, the high costs of renewable energy systems can also increase the inequality gap (Krause and Nordstr€om 2004) as the poorest segment of the population remains unelectrified andunable to benefit the systems. Technical quality was important in enabling project success. Poor technical designs and lack of appropriate operation and maintenance protocols have prevented some DRE projects frommeeting stated goals: if the systems do not work as expected, people will continue to use torch pine, candles, gas lamps, or diesel gensets andwill not be able to carry out the productive and social activities the electricity has enabled. As was also seen in some of the case studies, poor technical quality can alsomake theDREsystems, togetherwith the users, vulner- able toextremeclimateevents,perhapsdefeating theirmainpurpose. Inasubsetof the communities, systemsusedvery lowquality components, including, for exam- ple,non-listedandnon-certifiedPVpanels thatwerepeelingwithin5yearsofbeing installed(whentheirexpectedliferangesbetween20and30years)andcarbatteries labeled as solar deep cycle batteries. Monitoring and evaluations are essential to meeting the triple objective, although this was very rarely carried out. Some of the projects visited could be working todayhadpropermonitoringandevaluation takenplace.Unfortunately, a number of communitieswhere projects have failed remainwithout electricity and there are fewprospects for further investment. ThecommunityofNuevaAlianzaprovides thebestexampleofhowmeeting the triple objective is possible. In the short period of time themicro hydroelectric and biodiesel projects hadbeen installed, the community has been able to reduce their fossil fuel consumption and therefore their greenhousegas emissions, improve the quality of life of all the families and enable their survival and that of neighboring communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Stan. This is an excellent example of 11 SustainableDevelopment,ClimateChange, andRenewableEnergy inRural. . . 207