Abu Dhabi: Energy accounts for over 60 per cent of carbon emissions and the transition to renewable energy offers the most cost-effective, technically proven and economical solution to reduce emissions, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).
The agency is advocating action-oriented initiatives to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy at the Abu Dhabi Ascent, a press release said on Saturday.
Irena is highlighting its Africa Clean Energy Corridor and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – Lighthouses initiatives at the summit.
The first project is a plan to transform Africa’s current fuel mix with hydro, geothermal, biomass, wind and solar energy projects deployed from Cairo to Cape Town. The second one is a systematic approach for the transition to renewables in SIDS.
The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) urged a tripling or even quadrupling of the share of renewables in the energy mix by 2050 to avert catastrophic climate change.
“The climate agenda is becoming ever more prominent and the IPCC has expressed very clearly the need for the world to act quickly,” said Irena Director-General Adnan Z. Ameen.
“We are meeting in Abu Dhabi because we still have a choice. Decarbonising the world’s energy mix is possible and the transition to renewable energy can also generate additional growth and employment. Action-oriented initiatives like Africa Clean Energy Corridor and SIDS – Lighthouses and the others presented here at the Abu Dhabi Ascent show us how,” he said.
