International Network for Sustainable Energy - Europe (INFORSE-Europe)

INFORSE is a network of 165 NGOs worldwide. Since INFORSE's start as an informal network in 1992 (Earth Summit/UNCED) until 2002, the Secretariat was hosted by the Danish NGO Forum for Energy and Development (FED) that was supported by the Danish state. Among the founding members were the Danish organisations: SustainableEnergy (VE earlier called OVE) and Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy (NFRE). From 2002, after the Danish state support stopped for FED, the Danish NGO OVE/VE, and INFORSE-Europe, took over the role of hosting the Secretariat. The global INFORSE is now hosted by INFORSE-Europe. INFORSE-Europe was established in 1994 and has been registered as a legal and economic entity in Aarhus, Denmark since 2002. It has an elected board with 5 members and 2 elected coordinators. Since 2002, the network is partner or leader of NGO cooperation projects supported by EuropeAid, SIDA, AirClim, NCM, EUFP7, Swiss Fund, Danida, CISU, EU Horizon2020, EU Erasums, etc - Activities: NGO cooperation projects, seminars, 100% renewable energy scenarios, maintaining large online contact database and websites, social media, education, newsletter, participation on UN and EU conferences with advocacy, side events, exhibition, joint statements. The coordinator/leader of the Secretariat, Gunnar Boye Olesen, who is one of the founders of INFORSE on behalf of VE, has 30-year experience on renewable energy, climate issues incl. advocacy for civil society positions at UN negotiations. The Danish INFORSE members incl. NFRE, VE, DIB, Samsø EnergyAcademy. - INFORSE’s Vision: A world where energy services, necessary for a just and human centred development, are provided in a sustainable way using renewable energy. - Mission: working for sustainable energy solutions to protect the environment, and to reduce poverty. Aims include awareness raising, advocacy, capacity building. INFORSE is registered as CSO observer at UN ECOSOC (1998), UNFCCC (2002), EU Transparency Register.