8 May 2006 - NEW YORK: REN21 releases Interim Report at UN CSD 14:
Stakeholders who have put forth "Actions" at the International Conference for Renewable Energies ("renewables 2004") are keeping their commitments. This is the encouraging finding of a Report released in New York today by REN21, the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century.

Almost two years after the renewables 2004 conference - convened in Bonn by the German Ministries for Environment and for Economic Cooperation in June 2004 - REN21 is following up on the implementation of the International Action Programme (IAP). Brought together by dedicated conference participants from diverse stakeholders groups, the IAP is a rich set of 197 concrete activities for the expansion of renewable energy. The contributions range from concrete expansion commitments and changes in policy frameworks to the intensification of financing, research and development.

REN21's first interim report on the IAP comes timely for the fourteenth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14), taking place at the UN Headquarters in New York from 1 to 12 May 2006.

German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul thanked all the Partners who have already responded to the IAP follow-up-call that they had issued in March.

Mohammed El Ashry, the newly elected Chairman of the REN21 Steering Committee, said:
"This first-ever international monitoring of voluntary renewable energy commitments is highly important in order to highlight the implementation of actions and seek remedy for those actions which are delayed. This makes international policy processes more effective and credible."

After one month of effective reporting, the Paris-based Secretariat of REN21 has received feedback on over 80 Actions in the IAP, relatively evenly distributed over all the categories and types of Actions.

The reports received are very encouraging, as 75% of the Actions committed and reported upon are currently being implemented or have been completed already. Only 2% have been abandoned.
 

• Successful implementation could often be reported for national renewable energy policies. China, Japan, France, the UK and Northern Ireland as well as Australia report recent implementation of policy Actions including targets. Pacific Islands, Ethiopia, Uganda, Iran, Turkey, Germany are reporting other type of recent policies measures. Other countries such as Pakistan report on comprehensive programmes promoting renewables.
   
• A number of high-impact Actions have advanced significantly. Prominent examples are some of the policies and programmes already mentioned. Other important programmes are being implemented by bilateral and multilateral financing institutions and also by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) . Some actors like Brazilian and Mexican partners have announced their reports on important actions.
   
• The "lack of funds" cited as the main impediment to implementation of IAP Actions, is increasingly being addressed by multilateral and bilateral development agencies and international financing mechanisms. These reports show that almost all of the committed funding mechanisms have successfully been set up. Potent examples for such Actions are the activities of the European Investment Bank and the German KfW. The World Bank Group reports significant loan approvals.

The IAP follow up is a case-based and bottom-up complement to the global overview provided by REN21's Global Status Report. In effect the Interim IAP Report confirms the impression of a currently strong momentum in renewable energy development.

It is increasingly understood, that policy action is required to promote renewable energy.
According to the report, international renewable energy collaboration acts as vital catalyst in promoting renewable energy technologies and policies, by allowing for more efficient and coordinated use of human, financial resources and information. But the international policy process cannot be become effective for renewable energy progress by itself. It accomplishes its purpose only when it leads to national policies, which then frame the development of renewable energies.

REN21 and its participants offer support in shaping such policies. Based on sound reasoning and the exchange of information on proven successes, REN21 supports the creation of appropriate frameworks in those countries which do not have such policies yet.