Side event in Montreal: Renewables – a Ready to Go
Technology to Reduce GHG
7 Dec 2005 -
Renewables provide a ready-to-go technology to reduce greenhouse gases.
In order to promote this important message at the UN climate change
conference held in Montreal, REN21 supported an international side event
that was organised by the German Ministry for the Environment and
co-financed by the European Commission (download flyer below). At the
occasion of this side event, REN21 presented its newest policy issue
paper: "Renewable Energy and Climate Change" (pre-draft).
The
panellists were:
- Mr. Sigmar Gabriel, Federal Minister for the Environment,
Germany
- Mr. Stavros Dimas, EU-Commissioner for the Environment
- Ms. Karen Kraft Sloan, Ambassador of the Environment, Canada
- Mr. Wang Jinxiang, Vice-Chairman, National Development and
Reform Commission, China
- Mr. Carlos Garza Ibarra, Subsecretario de Planeación Energética
y Desarrollo Tecnológico de la Secretaría de Energía, Mexico
- Ms. Edan Dionne, Director, Corporate Environmental Affairs, IBM
Corporation
The side event was moderated by Mr. David Hales, member of the REN21
Steering Committee.
Mr. Gabriel underlined the continued commitment of the German government
to the international expansion of renewable energies (RE) and the
relevant international processes, especially REN21. He emphasised the
solutions that RE can provide both to climate protection and poverty
reduction, making them imperative to global equity.
Mr. Dimas illustrated the EU strategy for the expansion of RE, which
goes beyond the EU itself. Pointing to the 170-200 million tons of CO2
reduction in the EU already today, he said that, in 2006, the EU needs
to discuss new RE targets, such as the ambitious proposal put forward by
the EU Parliament to increase the share of RE in the EU's energy mix to
25% by 2020.
Speaking to the BIREC 2005 conference held in Beijing in November 2005,
Mr. Wang Jinxiang underlined the international involvement of China and
her national RE strategy.
Ms. Kraft Sloan emphasised the role of RE for climate protection in
Canada and worldwide.
Mr. Garza Ibarra reported on interesting new supporting mechanisms for
RE to be employed in Mexico, such as a fund to support independent
electricity producers. As a follow-up activity to the Bonn renewables
conference, Mexico will also host a forum on grid connected RE,
organised in cooperation with the Global Environment Facility to take
place in February 2006.
Ms. Dionne of IBM reported on how IBM is shifting its energy consumption
to RE, and investing in RE projects.
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