More than 280 representatives from 96 countries will gather virtually to attend the 21st Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), next week as countries continue to calibrate energy policy in line with the achievement of sustainable development goals and a 1.5° future, ahead of COP26 this year.
The Council meetings will take place on the 25th and 26th May, with a special session on energy and food systems being held and live broadcast on the 24th May. Washio Eiichiro, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan will chair the Council meetings.
“IRENA is the most inclusive meeting place for the global energy community,” said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera. “Never has the cooperation and multilateralism fostered by our governing body meetings been more consequential to the achievement of global goals. This Council will reinforce the centrality of an action-oriented global decarbonisation agenda towards COP26 and beyond, while recognising the role energy plays in achieving sustainable development.”
IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook, previewed earlier this year, shows that the world of energy must be dominated by renewable power, green hydrogen, and modern bioenergy to achieve net zero goals by 2050.
Dramatic cost declines, enabling policies and technological innovation, position renewables as an attractive and effective way to power growth while supporting livelihoods, improving health, and fuelling the achievement of key sustainable development goals including food security.
The two-day Council will be preceded by a special event entitled ‘The Energy Transition and Food Systems for Sustainable Development’ one day earlier.
The discussion will address the inter-linkage between renewable energy and food systems with a view to enhancing food security and accelerating the energy transition. The session will serve as a High-level platform for sharing knowledge and experiences.
The Council will feature IRENA members together with key international partners such as the Asian Development Bank, Food Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, among others.
Earlier this month, IRENA also welcomed Kyrgyzstan as a Member. IRENA’s Membership now stands at 164, with more than 180 countries being engaged with by the Agency worldwide.