Joint press release with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Foreign Office (AA)
The establishment of an International Renewable Energy Agency can now begin: at a conference in Madrid 51 states laid the foundations and agreed on the text of the Statute. The breakthrough has thus been achieved for the initiative launched by Germany, Spain and Denmark and supported by a number of countries from all continents.
The IRENA Statute will be signed at an official ceremony on 26 January 2009 in Bonn. Directly after this IRENA will begin its work with its first projects, including targeted consultation and information exchange. In mid 2009 the seat and Director-General for the start-up phase will be designated and the organisation will gradually be established.
IRENA will support industrialised and developing countries in expanding renewable energies. Worldwide many countries have set themselves ambitious targets for increasing the share of renewable energies in national energy consumption. A large majority of these countries would like detailed consultation and advice on this process. IRENA will aid its member states in adapting their political framework conditions, capacity building and improving financing and technology transfer for renewable energies. These will play an essential role in a sustainable and climate-friendly energy supply.
In Germany, the IRENA preparatory and founding process is led by the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, in close cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office.