NAIROBI, Kenya,** February 22, 2012/ *– *Achim Steiner, Executive Director
of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
and Adnan Amin, Director General of the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA), urged all stakeholders across Africa to make commitments,
as part of the Action Agenda, on how to achieve sustainable energy for all
by 2030. ****
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Speaking at an event marking the Africa rollout of the International Year
of Sustainable Energy for All at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, they
emphasized the importance of energy for economic and social development
across the continent, to improve the lives of the poorest in a more
sustainable manner. Investments in clean energy allow countries in the
region to harness substantial renewable energy resource endowments and
leapfrog to modern and efficient infrastructure development. ****
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The two leaders referred to many examples that are implemented throughout
the region already and that should be replicated and scaled up.****
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H.E. Ms. Terezya Luoga Hovisa, Minister of State, Ministry for Environment,
Tanzania and Vice-President, the African Ministerial Conference on the
Environment (AMCEN) highlighted the enormous renewable energy potential
ranging from solar, geothermal, hydro, wind and modern biomass that can be
harnessed to achieve universal access to energy. ****
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“I call upon all actors to work together to implement the commitments
outlined in the 2011 Johannesburg Declaration of the Africa Energy
Ministers Conference,” Hovisa said. ****
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Steiner and Amin called attention to the Sustainable Energy for All
initiative launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon – a unique
partnership between business, government and civil society designed to
achieve sustainable energy for all by 2030. The Secretary-General has
three interlinked objectives for his initiative: to ensure universal access
to energy, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency, and
double the share of renewables in the global energy mix, all by 2030. ****
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Steiner, who also serves as a UN Under-Secretary-General, called for
implementation of the initiative’s “Framework for Action,” designed to
guide the work of governments, the private sector and civil society as they
mobilize, facilitate, and monitor efforts to expand energy access, promote
efficiency standards and policies, and strengthen investment in renewables.
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Speaking about the Secretary-General’s initiative, Steiner said,
“Engagement by the private sector is essential to boost economic growth and
reduce poverty. It will help address the huge need for investments in
Africa and mobilize the action necessary to provide universal access to
modern energy services.” ****
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Globally, one person in five lacks access to modern electricity, and nearly
three billion people rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for
cooking and heating. ****
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Adnan Amin spoke about the immense potential for significantly increasing
investment in renewable energy based on establishing an enabling policy
environment and enhanced capacity. In this regard, Kenya is paving the way
for other African nations with its pledge to be kerosene-free by 2018 and
in its use of wind and geothermal energy to power municipalities. ****
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“Private sector involvement is essential to create more growth and less
poverty, contributing to the huge need for investments in Africa. Norway’s
Energy+ initiative intends to contribute to the implementation of
Sustainable Energy for All,” said H.E. Erik Solheim, Minister of
Environment and International Development, Norway. ****
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Speaking from the Brazilian experience with “Luz Para Todos,” H.E. Izabella
Teixeira, Minister of Environment, Brazil, highlighted the importance of
political involvement to trigger action by all stakeholders. She emphasized
the need to look at energy within the context of the food, water and energy
nexus. ****
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“Sustainable access and use of energy are part of the green economy,”
Teixeira said. “Energy will be at the center of discussions at the upcoming
Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.” ****
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Because of the central role that energy plays in society, the UN
Secretary-General has appointed a High-level Group of distinguished leaders
from finance, government, the private sector and civil society to drive
action towards the complementary objectives of energy access, renewables
and efficiency. Steiner and Amin are both members of this group.****
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Other leaders speaking in the rollout event for the 2012 UN International
Year of Sustainable Energy for All, in addition to the leaders above, were:
H.E. Dr. Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim (Mrs.), Commissioner, Infrastructure
and Energy, African Union Commission; Ms Mariam Sow Soumare, Representing
Dr Mayaki, CEO, New Partnership for Africa’s Development; Mr. Carlo van
Wageningen, Chairman and spokesperson, Lake Turkana Wind Power and Mr.
Negash Engedasew, Manager, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate
Change, African Development Bank. ****
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*Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).*
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For more information on Sustainable Energy for All, please visit:
http://www.sustainableenergyforall.org. ****
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