Former Energy Secretary of Uruguay Ramón Méndez Galain elected new REN21 President
Ramón Méndez Galain is renowned for transforming Urugay’s power sector from fossil fuels to 98% renewables.
Paris — Members from government, industry and civil society, that make up REN21’s Steering Committee, have elected Ramón Méndez Galain as the new President of REN21. Galain served as Energy Secretary of Uruguay between 2008 and 2015. He successfully led the transformation of the Uruguayan power sector to include 98% renewables in the mix, halving the cost of power generation and achieving resilience from fluctuating commodity prices. The just transition, achieved by Galain has also created 50,000 jobs, which constitutes 3% of the total workforce and securing electricity access to almost 100% of Uruguayan households.
Galain is also the founder and Executive Director of Asociación Ivy, an organisation dedicated to sharing lessons from Uruguay’s energy transition and inspiring change in other countries. Galain also served as Chairman of the Council of IRENA, Chief Negotiator for Uruguay in the Paris Agreement and member of the board of the Green Climate Fund.
The election of Galain as REN21’s President holds promising prospects to implement REN21’s new vision and strategy, which aims to build equitable and prosperous societies. The vision and strategy position renewables as the backbone for economic development, industrialisation and energy security in a new renewable era.
“It is an honour to assume the Presidency of REN21, a unique global network with a variety of strong voices from government, industry, civil society and science and academia,” said Galain.
“I will focus on ensuring that REN21 meets its full potential by enhancing synergies between members and allies. We will say loud and clear that the time has come for new economic and social development based on renewables,” he added.
Rana Adib, REN21’s Executive Director, welcomed the election results stating,
“We are delighted to welcome Ramón Méndez Galain as the new President of REN21. His deep expertise, unwavering commitment and proven leadership in driving the energy transition demonstrate that when political will aligns with action, the energy transition is not only possible but transformative. Ramón’s diplomatic acumen, profound understanding of the challenges faced by emerging economies and holistic approach to systems change will be invaluable in fostering stronger collaboration between members, partners and across countries. We are certain that his leadership will bolster REN21’s efforts to enable the creation of renewables-based economies and societies.”
“We look forward to continue our strong cooperation with Doug Arent, who was the Acting President,” Adib added. “Doug Arent will continue with REN21 as a valuable Bureau member, bringing valuable strategic direction, analytical thinking and technical knowledge to the network.”
REN21 extents its congratulations to Galain and sincerely thanks both candidates.
The election was part of REN21’s annual Steering Committee meeting which saw strong member engagement of members, 90% of whom voted and validated REN21’s upcoming Work Programme.
REN21 is the global multi-stakeholder network of governments, industry, NGOs, science and academia that enables the necessary changes to build the renewable-based economy for prosperous lives and societies.
Our vision is a world where renewable energy is the foundation for strong, equitable and resilient economies. Renewables are the undeniable choice for people, nature and prosperity.
Founded in 2004, we’ve built a powerful and diverse network of 119 institutions and a community of more than 4,000 players, from the energy ecosystem and other key sectors. Our inclusive governance structure and collaborative culture enable us to build on the insights and intelligence of our global community to drive the solutions needed to economic prosperity and societal well-being.
For further information, please contact:
Rochelle Gluzman
rochelle.gluzman@ren21.net
Hala Kilani
hala.kilani@ren21.net
Jose Bonito
jose.bonito@worldmediawire.com
