(Photo of model Masdar City transit vehicle from Flickr and Zerochampion/Phil Clark.)
The U.S. signed on this week as one of 137 members of a new international agency. The group’s goal is to rapidly spread renewable energy and energy efficiency around the globe.
Let’s hope this group will be able to help forge agreement among developed and developing countries that will lead to curbing greenhouse gases. It seems especially important in light of India’s recent declaration it will not submit to a cap on emissions. The agency plans to coordinate with, instead of duplicating, other organizations and programs.
By joining before June 29, the U.S. was able to help determine the International Renewable Energy Agency’s interim headquarters, Abu Dhabi. The capital of the United Arab Emirates is near the planned $22 billion “zero emissions” Masdar City. UAE also has said it will cut GHG emissions overall 7% by 2020.
The new agency, IRENA, will become a repository of data and advise members on technology, regulatory frameworks, business models and financing.
The U.S. was signed up by Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, who said clean energy and energy efficiency are important goals of American foreign policy. Clinton was pressed to take this action by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), a co-author of the American Climate Energy and Security Act, passed in the House last week.
(Source: E&E Daily, Greenwire)
1 comment:
Good grief!
I had hoped that, after your hiatus, you might have reappeared with some new found common sense.
Hey! I can dream, can't I?
Click here to examine what science and scientists (as opposed to power crazed totalitarian Socialists) have to say on climate change.
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