Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Gelil, AFED Senior Advisor has represented AFED at the 6th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) that was held in Abu Dhabi during the period 16-17 January 2016. 150 member countries, along with 140 regional and international organizations, attended the meeting. At the opening of the Assembly, Dr. Shaker El-Marqaby, Minister of Energy of Egypt was elected as the president of the Session. The president of the General assembly of the United Nation, Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark, addressed the opening, emphasizing the importance of that assembly as the first international meeting to be held after COP21 in Paris. He underlined the crucial role of renewable energy (RE) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the Paris Climate Agreement.

 

Presenting IRENA 2014 annual report, Director General Adnan Amin announced that 2014 witnessed a record Renewable energy Investment of 260 billion USD, half of which was invested in developing countries. He also added that renewable energy projects added about 7.5 million new jobs worldwide, and 164 countries have already announced some form of national renewable energy targets. In parallel with the Assembly, a ministerial round table was held, during which the Moroccan Minister of energy announced that Morocco was 98% dependent on fossil fuels in 2008, when the price of oil barrel was 140 USD. A target of 42% RE by 2020 was set in 2009, and the King of Morocco announced, during COP21 in Paris, that Morocco will increase its target to 52 % by 2030, putting Morocco at the forefront of the transformation to low carbon economy.

 

A strong signal from the assembly was that RE, energy efficiency, and carbon capture and storage are the three vital means of the world to limit the global temperature under 2 degrees.

 

 

PHOTO: Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Gelil.

CREDIT: AFED.