Statement by. Mr. Adnan Z. Amin Director-General International Renewable Energy Agency. to the

Transcription

1 DIRECTOR-GENERAL Check against delivery Statement by Mr. Adnan Z. Amin Director-General International Renewable Energy Agency to the Second Session of the IRENA Assembly Agenda item 3: Annual Report of the Director-General for 2011 Abu Dhabi, UAE, 14 January IRENA Secretariat C67 Office Building, Khalidiyah (32 nd ) Street P.O. Box 236, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

2 Mr President, Honourable Heads of State and Government, Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, It is a great pleasure to welcome you to this, the Second Meeting of the Assembly of IRENA. I would like to begin by congratulating His Excellency, Mr Salvadore Namburete of Mozambique, on his election as the President of this second session of the Assembly. I would like to extend a sincere welcome to the distinguished delegates gathered here representing 137 countries, the European Union and 57 organisations. The large number of delegations present is a positive indication of, not only their commitment to IRENA, but also the increasing global interest and dedication to a new clean energy paradigm. Mr President, Distinguished Delegates, Last year was a momentous one for the entire world. It reminded us of the risks and fragilities in our physical and socio-economic environments, and consequently in our energy systems, which are the basis of our modern economy. It also served to further reveal the tremendous opportunities for change and transformation that are at hand as a result of increasing knowledge, international understanding and advances in science and technology. Among the dramatic events that shaped the world in 2011, was the devastating impact of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March. These events led to the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. I would again like to express our sympathy and solidarity with the government and people of Japan, and also our admiration for the resilience and determination they are showing in the face of such a disaster. This event transformed the public s perception in favour of renewable energy worldwide. During my recent visit, when I had the honour to address His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Japan on sustainable energy and smart communities, I was informed of the new FIT legislation adopted in August last year which obliges all utilities to purchase the full amount of electricity produced by all types of renewable power generation at all scales. This together with other imaginative policy measures will stimulate Japanese investment and innovation and move the nation forward to a sustainable energy future. The adoption of this type of initiative is being echoed all over the world. The contribution of renewable energy sources to Germany s total final energy consumption has tripled in the past ten years. Germany s decade long support for the roll out of solar PV technology has accelerated the rate at which this technology has moved down the cost curve. Germany s record level of 7.5 GW of new solar installations in 2011 is clear evidence of this. Before 2015, solar PV will reach grid parity for the many countries that possess good resource potential, due in part to Germany s inspiring investment strategy, energy policies, and its contribution to global public good. Last week, I attended the launch of the new Dubai Solar Park initiative which aims to add 1000 MW of solar power to the UAE s grid by Earlier in 2011 I also attended the inauguration of the first CSP plant capable of producing solar power electricity in Seville, 2

3 Spain. Together these demonstrate the continuation of the UAE s foresighted policy of championing renewable energy at home and abroad. Last year my visit to China allowed me to witness first-hand the impressive scale and development of both renewable energy technology and investment, which has catapulted China to a position of global leadership in wind energy. In December, on the occasion of the Durban Climate Conference, the Government of South Africa announced the results of its first tender awards of 1.4 GW of wind and solar capacity, thereby propelling South Africa into the clean energy age, and increasing the momentum for renewable energy adoption. Despite the challenging circumstances in the global economy, growth in the developing world has continued. Out of the ten fastest growing economies in the world, six are in sub-saharan Africa. Meeting the energy needs of these and other developing countries all over the world requires a dramatic growth in the global energy sector. Renewable energy will need to play an essential role in improving the access of millions, whilst ensuring energy security and mitigating the existential risk of climate change by reducing emissions. There are encouraging signs of the increasing utilisation of renewable energy everywhere. REN21 informs us that in 2010 renewable energy supplied about 16% of global final energy consumption, and delivered close to 20% of global electricity production. Including all hydro power, renewable energy accounted for about 50% of total added power generating capacity in It is in this context of emerging opportunity that we must see the significance of the role IRENA has to play. We are the unique intergovernmental organisation dedicated to up scaling the global use of renewable energy, particularly through supporting governments. Previous and current developments in technology and innovation, cost reductions and knowledge of their successful application make this possible today. As you have told us, we must develop a new type of organisational model for a new world. We must be lean, nimble and competent, we must bring all actors to the table, we must provide the knowledge base to support action globally. Above all else, we must be transparent and cost effective. Over the last year, substantial progress has been made in developing this young agency in the direction you want. It is only 9 short months since our last Assembly, at which you approved our first work programme, and established IRENA as the world s newest intergovernmental Agency. ANNUAL REPORT In addition to the regular work of the Assembly, this session will also address two strategic issues essential to the future development of the Agency. These issues will be discussed in the Ministerial Roundtables that our President has mentioned. The Round Tables will be taking place concurrently with the Plenary this afternoon and tomorrow morning. We 3

4 hope these will provide the needed guidance for the further development of IRENA s Medium Term Strategy and our future work with the private sector, a critical actor in the field of renewable energy. The 2011 Annual Report before you provides an account of the strategic and programmatic work undertaken, as well as information on the human and financial resources of the Agency was a transitional year for IRENA, it was one of refocusing and consolidating strategies and support structures to enable the Agency to fulfil its long-term mission. The initial priority has been to rectify the problems that plagued the organisation from its preparatory stages, and to establish support systems and structures that would enable effective programme implementation. This work also involved the implementation of the transfer protocol as adopted by the Assembly in its first session. When the Agency was established in April, in addition to the Director-General, a total of 19 staff members remained on board (and 15 seconded personnel), which left it woefully short on human resource. As a result, while filling the vacant posts, we have relied on shortterm and consulting personnel to enable us to progress with the work programme. At present, 64 of the 72 authorized posts have been filled or are in the process of being filled. This staff complement will enable the Agency to perform its work in a stable manner in all programmatic, managerial and support areas. In spite of the challenge of this human resources situation, much has been achieved to date. Management and support functions continue to be improved, as we are gaining experience and strive to promote simplicity while ensuring compliance with legislative requirements. Internally, several systems were put in place to enable transparent and inclusive management of the Agency. I have issued a number of directives to set the administrative foundations of the organization, and have also issued the Code of Conduct in a separate communication to ensure that the staff are aware of the importance that the Agency places on their conduct. I have established a Senior Management Group (SMG) in order to ensure regular and systematic interaction between senior managers of the Agency, and also established a Project Review and Approval Group, which is responsible for approving all projects undertaken within the Programme of Work. During 2011 the Secretariat supported an impressive number of intergovernmental meetings. During the first three months of the year, four meetings of the Governance and Legal Working Groups were held, and the final Administrative Committee and Preparatory Commission meetings took place. Following the inaugural Assembly, the Secretariat provided support to two Council sessions and five committee meetings, four of which took place in Abu Dhabi, and one in Kuala Lumpur. While recognizing the unique nature of this transitional year, I wish to note that this posed a significant strain on already limited resources. The establishment and development of strategic relationships and partnerships is an important part of our strategic and programmatic activities. Interaction with representatives of member states here in Abu Dhabi and abroad is regular and ongoing. Significant effort has 4

5 also been made to engage with other stakeholders, both by participating in events and meetings, and by making formal arrangements for cooperation. We are actively engaged with a wide range of stakeholders in the context of programme implementation [CEM, IEA, E+Co, ECREEE, ECOWAS, REEEP] and in outreach activities that strategically support IRENA s mission. This includes our work within the context of the UNSG s SE4ALL initiative and the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, preparations for Rio+20, participation in the COP17, membership in the REN21 Steering Committee, and participation in regional meetings such as PIF, all of which provide an opportunity to contribute to, and influence global and regional energy agendas. In order to better position IRENA in this context, we have sought observer status with the UN, which was approved by the General Assembly at the end of last year. We have also sought to institutionalize our communication strategy. Efforts in this area were twofold: institutionalization of internal policies and systems to ensure coherence and common, Agency-wide standards, and strengthening of external communication that would enable the regular, user-friendly provision of information to stakeholders and the wider public. This has included the revamping of the public and delegates website, and the issuance of the first and second newsletters. We also organized media workshops for journalists in December 2011 in the margins of the COP17, to strengthen the capacity for reporting on renewable energy. A number of reports, working papers and the first set of RE Country Profiles have been published, all of which can be found on the IRENA website. The programmatic work of the Agency is now gathering greater momentum. All three sub-programmes have made significant progress in their respective areas, while striving to ensure synergies and consistent overall approach. The report provides a detailed account on the activities and progress, so I will mention only a few points. A number of workshops and meetings have taken place, including the High-Level IRENA/Africa Forum, Pacific Islands and Africa expert workshops, workshops on energy scenarios and Renewables Competitiveness and Innovation, and the technology transfer workshops for entrepreneurs from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Many of these activities were held in cooperation with local and international partners [E+Co, IEA, SELCO, NREL]. During a side event at the Durban Climate Conference, held in cooperation with the South African Department of Energy, IRENA launched a working paper entitled Prospects for the African Power Sector. This paper provides insights into the opportunities and costs of various renewable energy development pathways, and forms part of the larger Scenarios and Strategies for Africa study. The first cohort of IRENA scholars are currently enrolled at the Masdar Institute, and we remain engaged in their development by organizing monthly lectures on renewable energy topics, which are delivered by recognized experts in the field. We are now accepting applications for the second intake of scholars and I encourage you to propose qualified candidates. 5

6 IRENA, in partnership with the Clean Energy Ministerial Multilateral Solar and Wind Working Group, is coordinating the development of the Global Solar and Wind Atlas. This Atlas will create access to the most recent knowledge and will develop instruments capable of identifying the potential of different renewable technologies in different locations. To ensure that the Atlas will fulfill the requirements of the end-users, IRENA hosted a gathering of the end-user community on the side-lines of this Assembly. The renewable energy readiness methodology was piloted in Mozambique and Senegal and the outcomes will be presented to you in the margins of this Assembly session. Also at this Assembly, IRENA is releasing a working paper entitled Renewable Energy Jobs: Status, Prospects and Policies. This paper provides an overview of the current knowledge surrounding renewable energy jobs as governments seek a win-win solution to the dual challenges of high unemployment and energy demand growth. Of critical importance has been the support and commitment of IRENA s membership, which have remained not only engaged in substantive aspects of our work, but also ensured that 95 percent (USD 12.1 million) of our core budget for 2011 has been received. We are also grateful to the Members who provided voluntary contributions beyond the core budget, including our host country, the UAE which contributed over 7 million, and the Government of Germany which provided USD 3.1 million. It is estimated that $20.3 million was spent in 2011; $10.8 was from the core budget and $9.5 from additional voluntary contributions, which amounts to the expenditure rate of 81.4% of the approved budget. Of this amount, some 75 percent was for programmatic and strategic management activities, with the remaining amount being allocated to conference servicing and administrative support. Our 2011 Work Programme was developed with a high level of ambition; in spite of our restricted resources and the limited time we had available for its implementation. Much has been done and more of the results of the work of 2011 will become available in the coming weeks and months. These achievements would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication and hard work of IRENA staff, and the openness and willingness to cooperate, we have found in stakeholders across countries, regions, institutions and organizations. In closing, I would like to stress once again that this year has been a decisive one in terms of its importance to positioning IRENA in the global landscape while, at the same time, undertaking the foundational work to operationalize the Agency. The hard work and achievements of 2011 mean that IRENA can start 2012 focused on our mission to accelerate the global uptake of renewable energy. We look forward to this session of the Assembly providing us with the way forward. Thank you