G20 energy ministers adopt IRENA renewables toolkit

Energy ministers from the G20 countries and heads of international organizations affirmed their commitment to renewable energy by endorsing an 11-point programme, including the adoption of a renewable energy toolkit.

According to IRENA, the renewable energy toolkit provides options for G20 countries to take a long-term, integrated and sustainable approach to enhanced deployment of renewable energy.

Emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for embracing renewables, and that policy frameworks should be customized to align with domestic context and national sustainable development priorities, the toolkit adopted by the G20 has five focus areas:

• driving down technology costs,
• exchanging good practices on enabling policy frameworks and power system integration,
• mobilizing finance through risk mitigation,
• technology potentials and roadmaps,
• accelerating the deployment of modern bioenergy.

Adnan Amin, IRENA’s General Director, said: “The G20 countries hold 75% of total global deployment potential and 70% of total global investment potential for renewable energy between now and 2030. With this tremendous market opportunity before them, concerted and coordinated action undertaken by G20 countries to advance renewable energy can really move the needle on global deployment as we transition to a clean energy future.”

The G20 was founded in 1999 with the aim of studying, reviewing, and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization.

IRENA is an intergovernmental organization made up from 143 members (142 states and the European Union) that promotes the adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy.

Image: IRENA