The Preparatory Commission consisted of 114 signatory states (as of June 26) and it acts as the interim institutional body.
In its second session, the Preparatory Commission will determine the location of the agency’s interim headquarters and its interim director-general. Moreover, decisions are envisaged regarding the work programme, financial regulations, staff regulations, and the budget. IRENA will then start to construct its secretariat.
The UAE has gained international support in its intensive diplomatic campaign to host the IRENA headquarters at Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, the world’s only zero-carbon, zero-waste city, completely powered by renewable energy. Among the other contenders are Germany and Austria.
Observers feel that the UAE has presented a convincing set of arguments to support its case. They also stress that the UAE has a strong commitment to renewable energy reflected in the various initiatives, including the Masdar City, which involves heavy financial commitments. The UAE being an Opec member is the right candidate to lead the renewable energy development, said one of the experts who has been following up the IRENA issue.
The enthusiastic support received by the UAE from several countries is another factor that has added to the optimism that the country will be successful in its bid to host the IRENA headquarters.
Placing IRENA’s headquarters in the UAE will broaden UN leadership and send a powerful signal that concerted global action is needed from all governments to promote renewable energy as the primary solution to the unprecedented economic and environmental challenges faced today, remarked an observer.
According to the website hosted by the UAE to present its case, the UAE is the best choice for the interim and eventually permanent headquarters of IRENA because it offers a new hub for renewable energy – the IRENA HQ will be the world’s first positive energy mixed-use building, the country has an international environment, it is developing intellectual capital of clean energy, and has legacy of environmental stewardship.
Some of its initiatives include Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and the Zayed Future Energy Prize.
As an energy producer, the UAE has been a pioneer in diminishing the impact of carbon-based energy on the environment. Over 40 years ago, the country’s policy to stop gas flaring made the UAE an early leader among oil-producing nations in adopting emission reduction policies. Today, the UAE is quickly diversifying its economy, with non-oil commerce climbing to 60 per cent of GDP.
Abu Dhabi is leveraging its experience in global energy markets toward the technologies of the future. The emirate is moving quickly to realise its pledge that renewable energy sources will account for at least 7 per cent of total power generation capacity by 2020.
What is IRENA
The International Renewable
Energy Agency (Irena) was
established on January 26, 2009 in Bonn, Germany.
The agency will facilitate access to all relevant information, including reliable data on the potential of renewable energy, best practices, effective financial mechanisms and state-of-the-art technological expertise.
Irena aims at becoming the main driving force for promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale.
France backs UAE bid for IRENA
ABU DHABI – The French Ambassador to UAE, Alain Azouaou, on Sunday offered his nation’s full support to UAE’s bid for hosting the headquarters of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi.
The French support comes as United Nations member-states gather at Sharm Al Shaikh in Egypt today to vote for deciding on the location of IRENA headquarters.
The ambassador, in a statement to the media, said that French authorities were well aware of the remarkable efforts and huge investments made by the UAE to develop Masdar City, a zero-carbon model city that would also promote research and development in the green energy sector.
He said that the Masdar project will contribute to the regional and international awareness for the use of renewable energies.
“Abu Dhabi was also undertaking great efforts to become a centre for research, education in the field of renewable energies,” he added.
The French ambassador paid tribute to the vision of the UAE leaders, who are setting a model of moderation, dialogue and openness in the region.
