Washington International Renewable Energy Conference
Collects Voluntary Pledges To Advance Renewable Energy
WASHINGTON, 15 January 2008 – As the host of the Washington
International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008), the United
States government today announced the launch of the Washington
International Action Program, which will collect domestic and
international pledges to accelerate the global uptake of renewable
energy.
"WIREC participants, including national governments, state and local
authorities, industry, and civil society are encouraged to pledge a
variety of specific policy measures and program initiatives that will
significantly increase the deployment and use of renewables worldwide,"
said Ambassador Reno Harnish, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
Pledges will be collected, analyzed, and publicized in the Washington
International Action Program, and the Renewable Energy Policy Network
for the 21st Century (REN21) will support WIREC 2008 by following up on
the implementation of the pledges in the coming years.
Ambassador Harnish noted that the first International Action Program (available
at www.ren21.net/iap) showcased the tremendous impact that these
voluntary pledge programs have on driving up renewable energy. "The
pledges from the first International Renewable Energy Conference in 2004
at Bonn have already achieved an 86 million ton per-year reduction in
carbon dioxide," he explained.
"We expect even greater results from the Washington International Action
Program, since these pledges should reflect the significant progress
that's been made in the industry since 2004 and will therefore be more
ambitious," Harnish added.
Because the Washington International Action Plan will focus on policy
actions and measurable results, Harnish and conference organizers
believe these pledges will be one of the most significant outcomes of
WIREC 2008.
"We are devoting an entire session on our conference agenda exclusively
to pledges," Harnish said, noting that while entities making pledges for
WIREC 2008 are free to publicize their commitments when and how they
wish, WIREC organizers will keep pledges confidential until the
conference occurs from March 4 through 6, 2008 in Washington, DC.
Participants interested in making a pledge to advance renewable energy
can learn more at
www.wirec2008.gov.
WIREC 2008 is being hosted by the United States government, with
participation from numerous agencies, including the Departments of
State, Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Energy, the Environmental
Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
WIREC 2008 will be held at the Washington Convention Center on March
4-6, 2008. An international platform for government, private sector, and
non-governmental leaders to jointly address the goal of advancing
renewable energy, WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level
conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 and
Bonn in 2004.
WIREC 2008 will build on the success of the previous conferences by
combining a Ministerial Meeting with other events, including a Business
Conference, Trade Show Exhibition, and Official Side Events. The
collocated Trade Show and Business Conference at WIREC 2008 is being
organized by the American Council On Renewable Energy and 14 domestic
and international renewable energy trade associations.
