Clean Energy Revolution Crucial To Ensure Growth In Poorer Countries Ban

kristyGreen Prosperity

CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTION CRUCIAL TO ENSURE GROWTH IN POORER COUNTRIES BAN
New York, Oct 10 2011 2:05PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called today for a ?clean energy revolution?
to help the estimated three billion people that lack modern power and urged
countries to recognize the impact that energy security has on all aspects of
development.

?Three billion people rely on charcoal or wood for cooking and heating. They
are energy-poor. And energy poverty translates into grinding, dehumanizing
poverty,? he
told participants at an energy conference in Oslo, Norway.

?We need energy not only to be universal, [we] need it to be clean ? to be
sustainable as well. We cannot continue to burn our way to prosperity. The
only way to minimize the risks of dangerous climate change is by ensuring
that energy is sustainable.?

The Secretary-General stressed that sustainable energy is critical for all
aspects of human progress and said a departure from existing practices is
needed to achieve the goal of universal energy access by 2030.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), financing universal
access to modern energy services would cost only about three per cent of
total global investments in energy.

?Energy poverty is a threat to the achievement all of the MDGs. It holds
back economic growth and job creation. We require a radical departure from
current practices and existing realities.

That is why we are calling for practical and large-scale action,? he said.

To achieve the universal energy access goal, Mr. Ban launched the
Sustainable Energy for All initiative last month, which has three global
targets: providing universal access to modern energy services, doubling
energy efficiency, and doubling the share of renewable energy in the world?s
energy supply. The initiative will have input from the private, government
and civil society sectors to develop its agenda for the next two decades.

Participants at the ?Energy for all ? financing access for the poor?
conference explored innovative financing mechanisms that can help countries
and regions implement their energy plans.

?This is a good example of the readiness of leaders from the business world,
governments, international organizations and civil society to come together
and form new public-private partnerships to implement United Nations
Secretary-General Ban?s new global energy initiative,? said the
Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO), Kandeh K. Yumkella.

In addition to organizing the conference, Norway launched its Energy+
Initiative, which aims to help mobilize private capital and public resources
in support of Sustainable Energy for All.

Mr. Yumkella said the partnership with Norway would be an important step
towards Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development to be held next
year.

?This is a milestone on the road to the Rio+20 summit in June in Brazil and
in achieving our ultimate goal of providing Sustainable Energy for All by
the year 2030. Finance is a fundamental area where the international
community can play an important role. The Sustainable Energy for All
initiative is a great step in that direction.?
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For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news