IRENA pushes for faster adoption of renewable energy; nuclear not one of them

Educating the masses on renewable energies is one thing but governments also need assistance in understanding that nuclear energy isn’t one of them. At Climate Week, currently being held in New York IRENA has condemned the decision of the IEA IEA to include nuclear and CCS projects in developing markets into the mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol.

‘The Clean Development Mechanism is not called clean out of any reason – only 100% renewable energy is clean. CCS technology on the other hand is nothing but a fata morgana, technically feasible on a larger scale not before 2020,’ IRENA said in a statement.

IRENA has also called for faster and better mechanisms for countries to access the financing required to shift energy needs to renewable formats.

“The establishment of IRENA by 136 states this year is a clear signal that countries worldwide ask for a bigger share of global renewable energy production - and not less,” commented Hélène Pelosse, Director-General of IRENA. “We need to increase the market share of the current 18 percent worldwide, especially in developing countries. The potential in those countries is huge but financial mechanisms for an up-scale are sometimes difficult to obtain. IRENA will facilitate the access of those countries to appropriate financing for renewable energy.”

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) was officially established in Bonn on 26 January 2009. To date, 136 States signed the Statute of the Agency; amongst them are 45 African, 36 European, 32 Asian, 14 American and 9 Australia/Oceania States.

Caption: Hélène Pelosse, Director General of the recently established International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA, met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.