Renewable vitality is mostly outlined as any vitality supply that’s repeatedly replenished. It consists of photo voltaic and wind energy in addition to bioenergy (natural matter burned as gasoline) and hydroelectric energy.
IRENA* chief Francesco La Digicam spoke to UN Information forward of a particular assembly on Friday on transitioning to sustainable sources of vitality which is happening on the UN Headquarters in New York as a part of the primary ever Sustainability Week.
Guaranteeing entry to reasonably priced dependable, sustainable and trendy vitality for all folks, wherever they’re on this planet, is the goal of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7).
UN Information: What challenges have you ever confronted when attempting to steer governments, worldwide organisations and different stakeholders to embrace renewable vitality?
Francesco La Digicam: There aren’t any difficulties in persuading governments to undertake renewable vitality, however from the commitments to the motion, there may be all the time one thing lagging.
What’s necessary in relation to the international locations, with our members, is to help them find the suitable option to translate dedication into motion. I believe that is the problem now we have to face: how we are able to transfer to tripling renewable set up capability by 2030? Now what’s at stake is how we are able to actually obtain this purpose.
IRENA Director-Normal Francesco La Digicam (second left) visits an offshore wind energy undertaking by China’s Yancheng Metropolis.
UN Information: How can these challenges be overcome to make sure that international locations commit and take motion?
Francesco La Digicam: All of the international locations have made commitments. Now we have to rewrite the way in which worldwide cooperation works. On this respect, all totally different entities concerned should make an effort.
For instance, at IRENA, now we have been working with President William Ruto of Kenya to forge a partnership to speed up the renewable vitality deployment in Africa. This initiative – Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa’ (APRA) – was launched throughout the first Africa Local weather Summit in Nairobi final 12 months, and a joint assertion was signed by leaders of APRA at COP28 to drive the renewable vitality transition as a strategic answer to vitality entry, safety and inexperienced development in Africa.
We now have seven African international locations, together with Kenya, in addition to developed international locations similar to Denmark, Germany, the US, and we even have the [United Arab Emirates] UAE concerned. That is an instance of how we are attempting to rewrite the panorama of worldwide cooperation. We’re constructing the plan and supporting these international locations in creating their very own plans for fostering renewables. Collectively we remodel to a brand new worldwide cooperation mechanism to show their plans into actuality.
A farmer in Madagascar connects a solar-powered pump with the intention to irrigate his crops.
UN Information: Are there notable variations in approaches, commitments and reactions between growing and developed international locations with regards to the vitality transition?
Francesco La Digicam: The developed world has to alter the system. However, the growing international locations can leap ahead and transition on to a brand new vitality system as there’s a lack of actual vitality methods. The primary distinction lies within the standing of the vitality system in these totally different components of world, which is mirrored largely within the current inequality.
The opposite facet is that the developed international locations might have the instruments, devices and monetary assets to drive the modifications.
The growing world wants help in lots of facets. International locations require monetary and technological help to trade experiences and expertise. These are boundaries that have to be overcome immediately to hurry up the transition, particularly in Africa.
On this respect, Africa might be crucial powerhouse on this planet for renewable vitality and green hydrogen [a clean and renewable energy carrier]. However, Africa lacks the infrastructure to make this potential useful to its folks, which might additionally profit the world. Infrastructure similar to ports, pipelines and civil infrastructure are decisive and essential.
UN Information: May you give us an instance of a web site go to the place you witnessed the essential function of renewable vitality in attaining SDG 7 by 2030?
Francesco La Digicam: One instance that impressed me was Mauritius, the place our help for photo voltaic panel set up in personal homes, personal buildings and public buildings has been really remodeling the panorama, giving an enormous push for attaining SDG 7.
UN Information: Do you assume the examples you talked about could be replicated elsewhere on this planet?
Francesco La Digicam: To hurry up the transition, we have to overcome some structural boundaries that exist immediately. Infrastructure is the primary barrier to beat. With out environment friendly electrical energy and with out offering storage interconnectivity, flexibility and balancing the grids, we can not progress. Modernising and constructing infrastructure the place it’s absent is the highest precedence.
There are additionally the issues linking to the present authorized framework. The market remains to be designed in a approach that doesn’t favour the deployment of renewables. There are nonetheless a number of subsidies for fossil gasoline initiatives which I believe must be tackled instantly.
An influence line provides electrical energy to the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Moreover, energy buy agreements are designed in a approach that daunts renewable vitality growth. Market pricing mechanisms usually don’t help renewables as a result of renewables want long-term contracts for stability and safety within the electrical energy supplied and the fee to be paid.
Lastly, we’d like expert professionals and a skillful workforce to be deployed on the bottom.
Now we have to beat these three boundaries if we really need the vitality system to speed up the transition from fossil fuels, as known as for at COP28 in Dubai just a few months in the past.
UN Information: How can regular residents contribute to the renewable vitality transition?
Francesco La Digicam: We’re striving to be extra environment friendly in all our decisions, however what’s extra necessary is the authorized surroundings the place everybody feels compelled to take motion. We can not solely name for the ethical imperatives. Society additionally makes a neater and less complicated surroundings for folks to make the suitable decisions by way of effectivity and vitality conservation.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
* IRENA is an intergovernmental company aiming to help international locations of their transition to a sustainable vitality future. Earlier this 12 months on 26 January, the UN noticed the primary Worldwide Day of Clear Vitality, which coincides IRENA’s founding anniversary.