Promoting Carbon Reduction Through Energy Efficiency (EE) Techniques in Baghdad City To promote low carbon development in Iraq through supporting the design of a regulatory framework for enhancing Energy Efficiency (EE) in buildings and the creation of an enabling environment for its operationalization Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. FORMTEXT The objective of this UNDP-GEF project is to promote low carbon development in the Iraqi buildings sector. To achieve this objective, the project aims to induce change in two arenas. The first is the regulatory framework, which represents the set of policies, legal references and performance standards guiding the work of different parties in buildings construction and domestic appliances trading. The second is the environment within which the framework can be operational, including building the national capacity of stakeholders, supporting market readiness, and raising public awareness both on the benefits of EE adoption and the available financial schemes they can apply for to finance their EE activities. The project will also use all possible opportunity, i.e. workshops, meetings, trainings and awareness events, to promote diversity and gender balance. Balanced representation of relevant stakeholders will be ensured by reaching out to both men and women and different groups through appropriate communication means and encouraging their participation.    To realize this objective, the project will tackle regulatory barriers related to construction and retrofitting activities, as well as create connections with private actors and demand-side stakeholders for technical support and awareness raising. The connections include intra-government collaboration, public-private partnerships, and facilitating the communication between the banking sector and the public. The following figure presents the main hypothesis of the project.Figure 7: Project hypothesisThe project has numerous socioeconomic benefits, at the national, local and individual household levels, as listed specifically below.At the national level the project:- Helps reduce demand for electricity, thus relieving the burden on an already overburdened national electric system and allowing it meet a larger fraction of demand sooner.- Reducing the amount of fuel needed for power generation, both at the national grid level and in diesel-powered mini-grids which are a main or backup source of electricity for a large portion of the population.- Well-insulated buildings are more climate resilient, more comfortable to occupy in hot or cold weather.- Increased vocational training for energy auditors as well as installers and contractors who will do the work.- Of course, reduction of CO2 emissions as a direct result of reduced energy use.At the local level, the project:- Reduces fuel combustion, particularly in diesel generators, will result in reduced air pollution and reduced particulate matter, resulting in better health for the local population.- Reduces need for fuel transport to support mini-grids also means reduced congestion, and further reduced pollutants.At the individual house-hold level:- Reduces cost for cooling homes leaving additional income for other matters- Improves comfort in the home living space, particularly in the face of more extreme temperatures expected as a result of global warming.  FFFFFFFF0000000014000A0070006A00420065006E00650066006900740073000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000