Renewable energies: key to climate protection, economic development and poverty eradication

The German initiative to establish an International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has met with a very positive response worldwide. More than 100 countries have confirmed their participation in the Founding Conference this coming Monday in Bonn. Almost half of these plan to sign the Statute. Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Federal Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier will represent the German government at the conference.

Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel: "Renewable energies not only offer huge potential for climate protection and a secure energy supply. Modern climate and energy policy also provides major economic opportunities, as many countries have recognised."

State Secretary Erich Stather from the Federal Development Ministry: "Renewable energies offer developing countries in particular the opportunity to gain access to clean energy and thus the opportunity for development."

The goal of this initiative, which is also actively supported by Spain and Denmark, is to promote the expansion of renewable energies worldwide and to serve as a platform for renewables, providing practical advice and assistance to both industrialised and developing countries. IRENA will be a driving force behind the swift switch to renewable energies. The aim is to close worldwide the gap between the enormous potential of renewables and their current relatively low market share in energy consumption. In this way the Agency will make an important contribution to climate and development policy and to foreign and security policy.

IRENA is the first international organisation to focus exclusively on the issue of renewable energies. IRENA will advise its members on adapting their political frameworks, building capacity and on improving financing and the transfer of technology and know-how for renewable energies.

The founding countries will sign the IRENA Statute at the conference. The day after the Founding Conference, on Tuesday, the first meeting of the members will take place. The meeting of the Preparatory Commission, to which all signatory states belong, will lay the foundations for the swift establishment of IRENA. In June 2009 the members will then decide on the location of the Agency's seat and will nominate the first Director-General.

The IRENA founding process is being led in Germany by the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Development Ministry in close cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office.