Council elects Bahamas Minister of the Environment as meeting Chair
Abu Dhabi, UAE, 24 May 2016 – More than 300 high-level government representatives from 96 countries–the highest number of countries ever represented at a Council–gathered today in Abu Dhabi to attend the eleventh meeting of the Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). At the outset of the meeting, the Council elected H.E. Kenred Dorsett, Minister of the Environment and Housing of the Bahamas as Chair of the meeting, and Ethiopia as Vice-Chair.
“IRENA as a global organisation has made tremendous contributions to the advancement of renewable energy, notwithstanding its relatively short history,” said Mr. Dorsett. “The Bahamas has relied heavily on IRENA to chart its renewable energy future. We look forward to the deliberations over the next few days as countries come together to guide the work of the Agency, and are humbled to be elected Chair for this important meeting.”
Following the election, IRENA’s Director-General Adnan Z. Amin, presented a progress report on the Agency’s work. “A lot has happened since IRENA’s establishment five years ago,” said Amin. “We are implementing our new work programme with determination and confidence that the current biennium holds great promise for accelerating the global uptake of renewable energy. We are proud of our achievements to date and energised by the unwavering support of our Members.”
Last night, the Agency gathered Member State representatives, international stakeholders and local leaders to celebrate its first five years as a fully-fledged intergovernmental organisation.
For the remainder of the Council meeting, attendees will discuss cost reductions in solar and wind technologies, regional work to increase renewable energy deployment in Latin America and West Africa, and IRENA’s roadmap to doubling the global share of renewables by 2030. They will also discuss initiatives to increase renewable energy on islands and the strategic future direction of the Agency’s work.
Tomorrow, IRENA will launch the third edition of Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review. This publication provides the only global analysis of jobs in the renewable energy sector, presenting the status of renewable energy employment, both by technology and in selected countries, over the past year.
Composed of 21 IRENA Members, the Council meets twice annually to facilitate cooperation among Members, oversee implementation of the IRENA work programme and complete substantive preparations for the Agency’s annual Assembly.
