Be the first to comment!MRRA hosts Global Summit on Renewable Energy & Islands
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The Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs is hosting a Global Summit on Renewable Energy and Islands. This Summit is part of the working programme of the International Renewable Energy Agency based in Abu Dhabi, to take the lead regionally and globally in accelerating the adoption of renewable energy, especially among island states.
The Malta Summit is taking place at an opportune time, as the efforts to promote sustainable energy solutions are at the heart of global energy debate, under the umbrella of the UN International Year of Sustainable Energy for All and the UN Secretary-General’s initiative Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL).
IRENA has been given a strong mandate to work with islands to realise the vast potential that renewable energy has in ensuring energy access, security and climate protection. IRENA is expanding its islands-related activities, regionally and globally.
The Summit in Malta will examine opportunities and challenges from the perspective of islands, and discuss policy and technical information, advice and capacity required to support the extensive deployment of renewable energy.
The Summit is taking place only a few weeks before the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012. Rio+20 Conference is a unique platform where islands can catalyse fresh reflection on opportunities that renewable energy presents for the sustainable future of the islands. The Malta Summit discussions can contribute to the Conference by highlighting the diversity and uniqueness, as well as the commonalities of islands in all regions, in many countries, and at different stages of development.
The Malta Summit is focusing on the following subjects amongst others:
· Realising the high potential for renewable energy to address the islands’ energy needs and access in a sustainable way;
· Pooling of knowledge and exchange of ideas between islands, with different levels of development;
· Sharing best practice, and showcasing examples of innovative solutions;
· The role of renewables in power generation and end use sectors; · Possible areas of future collaboration;
· Ensuring that IRENA’s islands-related activities correspond to the priority concerns; and · Using the Rio+20 outcome as a platform to draw attention to energy needs of islands and the potential that renewable sources present.
