Another eventful year is coming to a close. The energy transition is in full swing all around the world. But the announcement at COP23 that industrial emissions of carbon dioxide are projected to rise to record highs in 2017 after a three-year plateau clearly shows that the progress we are making to decarbonise the energy sector is not happening fast enough. Over the course of 2017, REN21 has continued to bring actors from the public and the private sector together to spread the message about renewables becoming a central part of the world’s energy mix. The Renewables Global Futures Report, launched in April 2017 at the SEforALL Forum in New York, provides an overview of the great debates towards 100% renewable energy, REN21’s annual flagship publication, the Renewables Global Status Report demonstrates progress in renewable energy deployment world-wide.
A clear highlight of REN21’s 2017 calendar was MEXIREC in Mexico City, 11-13 September which gathered over 1,600 participants from Latin America and all around the world to debate how renewables deployment can be scaled-up. At MEXIREC, REN21 launched the report Renewable Energy Tenders and Community [Em]power[ment]: Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
In 2018, REN21 will continue to advance its work with all key players of the global energy architecture, strengthen synergies and convey coordinated key messages to foster global renewable energy uptake.
Let me take the upcoming holiday season to thank all members and partners of REN21 as well as my team at REN21 for their excellent collaboration. I hope that you will all have the time to relax in order to start 2018 fully recharged and eager to move onward to new adventures!
Best regards,
Christine Lins
Executive Secretary of REN21