The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) participated in the third virtual session of the “Regional Dialogues: From Planning to Investment for Latin America and the Caribbean,” a regional series organized by the Global Coalition for Energy Planning (GCEP), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Government of Brazil. The series brought together energy planning institutions, regulators, system operators, development banks, and financial actors to analyze how national energy plans can better support implementation and investment decisions.

ECLAC shared the experiences and lessons learned through the Regional Forum of Energy Planners (FOREPLEN), highlighting that the region has increasingly robust technical planning capabilities, but that the main challenge remains moving from analysis to implementation. In this context, the importance of strengthening governance, inter-institutional coordination, monitoring mechanisms, and early dialogue with financing stakeholders was emphasized. Likewise, the role that regional cooperation and learning platforms, such as FOREPLEN, can play in supporting the exchange of experiences and capacity building in governance, monitoring, and the implementation of energy plans was highlighted.

During the exchange, a shared vision emerged regarding the need to strengthen coordination among planning agencies, regulators, financial institutions, energy sector companies, and technical partners. In this regard, it was emphasized that governance of the planning process, clarity of institutional mandates, coordination among public agencies, and the existence of monitoring mechanisms are fundamental elements for building trust among the stakeholders responsible for financing and implementing the investments required for the energy transition.

Among the main conclusions of the regional series, the GCEP Secretariat highlighted that Latin America and the Caribbean possess valuable experiences, technical capabilities, and institutional lessons to address this challenge. It also noted the need to strengthen institutional mandates, monitor plans, and coordinate with regulators and financiers to translate planning priorities into concrete project portfolios and investments.

ECLAC’s participation reaffirms its commitment to strengthening energy planning capacities in the region and to promoting opportunities for cooperation that help accelerate the sustainable energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean.