Delhi energy conference participants back UN global energy access strategy

NEW DELHI, 29 October 2010 – Participants at the Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference (DIREC 2010) voiced support for a UN campaign that aims for universal access to modern energy services and called on the international community to give this goal the highest priority.  

This was underlined in a Declaration adopted today at the Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference (DIREC 2010).

"The goal enunciated by the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC) of universal access to modern energy services by 2030 is commendable and should be pursued by the international community and accorded a high development assistance priority," says the Declaration.
 
The tree-day event that ended in the Indian capital was attended by Government officials from over 70 countries, as well as representatives of international agencies, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The Declaration also calls upon the United Nations to designate 2012 as the International Year of Energy Access.  

The Conference, hosted by Government of India (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) and attended by over 8,000 delegates, aimed at up-scaling and mainstreaming renewables for energy security, climate change and economic development.

Access to energy is vital as a large proportion of the world’s population remains without access to modern energy services, says the Declaration. According to the document, “depending on the source in question (electricity for lighting, modern cooking fuel, etc.) anywhere between 1.4 billion and 2.7 billion people lack modern energy services. The use of renewable energy services will not only provide access, but also help in the eradication of poverty and in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals”.

The Declaration acknowledged the multiple benefits of renewable energy, and says that by early 2010, more than 100 countries had some type of target and/or promotion policy relating to renewable energy. “In addition, adoption of renewable energy is no longer confined to the industrialized world – more than half of the existing renewable power capacity is now in developing countries,” says the document.

The Director-General of UNIDO, Kandeh K.Yumkella, who also heads UN-Energy and AGECC, participated in the Conference session on Cop16 in Cancun together with Dr. R.K.Pachauri, Director-General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Yumkella also chaired the session on renewables, energy Access and the Millennium Development Goals.

For more information, please contact:

Mikhail Evstafyev

UNIDO Advocacy and Communication Coordinator

Telephone: (+43-1) 26026-5021

Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-7329

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