UAE Mission and IRENA to co-host inaugural “Renewables Talks” to address industry’s greatest challenges

Renewable Energy

May 11, 2020, 11:02 am

The UAE Mission to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and IRENA will co-host the Agency’s Members for the first of its quarterly “Renewables Talks” on 13 May 2020, in a virtual webinar.

Set to be hosted every three months throughout the year, the first Renewables Talks will assemble IRENA’s Permanent Representatives and the broader diplomatic community to discuss the challenges facing the industry in 90-minute interactive sessions moderated by Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to IRENA.

Though originally planned to bring IRENA’s Permanent Representatives to Abu Dhabi in person, the first session will be hosted virtually in keeping with global healthcare authorities’ advice for companies and individuals to stay home to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which continues to impact human mobility. More than 100 participants are expected to dial in for the webinar, which will also be overseen by IRENA’s Director-General, Francesco La Camera.
Ahead of the event La Camera said: “The unprecedented nature of the challenge we face today must serve as a reminder of the need for a more equitable, sustainable future. As all countries look to build resilience and stability into their economies now is the time to strengthen the policies needed to dramatically scale up the speed of energy transformation.”

He added: “This platform will bring IRENA Members’ representatives together to share ideas, experiences and challenges while broadening their understanding of the socio-economic benefits associated with a renewables-based future as outlined in IRENA’s recent Global Renewables Outlook. Renewables are a pillar of sustainable development and must be an integral part of the post-pandemic recovery.”

The first Renewables Talk will discuss the findings of IRENA’s seminal “Global Renewables Outlook: Energy Transformation 2050” report published in April 2020, and also explore the role renewable energy has to play as a stimulus for the global recovery from the COVID-19 crisis which has disrupted entire economies, ecosystems and infrastructures.

Speaking ahead of the first Renewables Talk, Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany said: “It is an honour and testament to the UAE’s reputation for convening the world, that we are able to host the international IRENA community for series of collaborative and productive discussions on taking the rapidly developing field of renewable energy industry forward.

She added: “Our ability to seamlessly adjust our hosting platform to a virtual space and still accommodate the international community is an example of the kind of agility that the UAE has ingrained in its working culture, and one that organisations around the world will also be looking to incorporate as they seek to kick-start a social and economic recovery from the impact of the coronavirus – a topic which we will discuss in detail at this meeting.”

The “Global Renewables Outlook: Energy Transformation 2050” report published by IRENA in April 2020, set to be discussed in detail during the Renewables Talk, outlines a transformed future energy scenario which could see up to $US98 trillion added to the global economy in 30 years.

The comprehensive analysis shows the path to create a sustainable future energy system, highlighting climate-safe investment options until 2050 and proposing the policy framework needed to manage the transition. The outlook also grapples with the decarbonisation of challenging industry and transport sectors and presents a perspective on deeper decarbonisation. Findings from the report indicate that the energy transformation will result in higher GDP growth, achieving a 2.4 percent increase by mid-21st century.

Framed in the context of the health, humanitarian, social and economic crises precipitated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Global Renewables Outlook (GRO) suggests that as countries consider their economic stimulus options, they must confront the challenge of ensuring sustainability and strengthening resilience while improving people’s health and welfare.

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