Press release -
New Global Alliance calls for 100 percent renewable energy
San Francisco/ Hamburg, 17th April 2013: A
newly established global alliance of civil society organizations,
academics, business associations and policy makers has called upon
national legislators to commit to 100 percent renewable energy in the
power, heating & cooling and transportation sector. At the Pathways
To 100% Renewable Energy Conference, taking place in San Francisco,
California today, the alliance launched a new international campaign
that seeks to build political will among a critical mass of decision
makers and set a required goal of 100% renewable energies. Among the
founding partners of the new alliance are the World Future Council,
Renewables 100 Policy Institute, World Wind Energy Association,
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, DeENet, World
Bioenergy Association and Energy Democracy TV.
“It is a fact that non-renewable energies will, by definition, run out.
It is also a fact that in the meantime, dependence on these energy
sources is causing multiple existential global crises. If human beings
are to preserve modernity and planetary habitability, we must soon shift
to 100% renewable energy in all sectors,” said Stefan Schurig, Director
of Climate and Energy, World Future Council. In a joint statement the
representatives of the new alliance also state that despite this basic
logic, so far most political decision makers have taken measures nowhere
near proportional to the problem. “One fundamental necessity to
breaking the inertia should be a robust, global call for 100% renewable
energy that creates urgently needed political will among legislators
around the globe,” says Diane Moss, Founding Director of Renewables 100
Policy Institute.
“The technologies to harvest these energy sources already exist today,
and they are already cost-competitive,” says Stefan Gsänger, Secretary
General of World Wind Energy Association. “It is the responsibility of
our generation to do whatever we can in order to switch as fast as
possible to 100% renewable energy."
Upgrading renewable energies mainly results in structural change from
which regions and communities are the principal beneficiaries. Several
regions, communities and cities for example in Germany and Denmark prove
that this ambitious goal is already becoming a reality. The success
story of those regions comes as a consequence of high citizen
participation and the regional value creation taking place through
decentralized energy production.
The alliance therefore calls upon local, regional and national policy
makers to implement political frameworks that enable citizens and
municipalities to profit from this transition. “The right political
framework, including positive goals for energy efficiency and renewable
energy, is absolutely crucial to achieve 100% renewable energy,” says
Prof. Eicke Weber, Director of the Fraunhofer ISE and former Professor
at UC Berkeley. “Our task is to adapt policy frameworks on all
governance levels to today`s reality and to further develop best
policies.”
To that end, knowledge transfer and exchange between policy makers are vital. At the Pathways To 100% Renewable Energy Conference, one message resounded: we must establish networks between trailblazing countries and people to realize the implementation of a global energy transition with 100 percent renewable energy. Weber: “Despite numerous good practices and successful policy instruments, existing solutions do not always get through to policy makers in government. I hope this campaign helps to facilitate this kind of dialogue so countries can learn from the invaluable experiences of frontrunner countries like Germany, Denmark and other countries in order to avoid wasting scarce resources.” For more information on the campaign please visit www.go100percent.org
Notes to Editors
World Future Council
The World Future Council brings the interests of future generations to the centre of policy making. Its up to 50 eminent members from around the globe have already successfully promoted change. The
Council addresses challenges to our common future and provides
decision-makers with effective policy solutions. In-depth research
underpins advocacy work for international agreements, regional policy
frameworks and national lawmaking and thus produces practical and
tangible results. For further information please visit our website: www.worldfuturecouncil.org
Renewables 100 Policy Institute
The Renewables 100 Policy Institute was
founded to advance 100 percent renewable energy scenarios, based on the
recognition that civilization cannot survive and continue to depend on
non-renewable resources. The
organization aims to conduct and distribute research, studies, and
analysis showing the most economically and technologically feasible ways
for all nations to achieve the 100 percent renewable energy supply,
including fuels for the transportation sector. For further information
please visit our website: www.renewables100.org
World Wind Energy Association WWEA
WWEA works for a transformation of the world energy system towards 100 %
renewable energy, with wind energy as one cornerstone. WWEA advises
national governments and international organizations, provides
up-to-date information about wind power and enhances know-how transfer.
Currently, WWEA has 600 direct and more than 50 000 indirect members and
represents the wind sector from more than 100 countries on all
continents. The WWEA members include national wind energy associations
as well as companies, scientific institutions and public bodies. WWEA is
co-founder of the International Renewable Energy Alliance and has
Special Consultative Status at the United Nations. For further
information please visit our website: www.wwindea.org
Fraunhofer ISE
With a total staff of about 1300, Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg is
Europe’s largest solar research institute. Fraunhofer ISE works to
provide the technologies for a sustainable, economic, safe and socially
just energy supply system. Towards this goal the institute develops
materials, components, systems and processes in several business areas,
including building efficiency and technology, solar photovoltaics and
solar thermal systems, regenerative power systems and hydrogen
technologies. The institute runs as well accredited test centers. www.ise.fraunhofer.de
Media Contacts of the Go 100 % Campaign:
In Germany
World Future Council
Anne Reis, Media & Communications
Phone: +49 40 30 70 914-16
Fax: +49 40 30 70 914-14
anne.reis@worldfuturecouncil.org
In the USA
Renewables 100 Policy Institute
Diane Moss, Founding Director
Phone: +1- 310-457-6141
Cell: +1- 310-463-1355
d.moss@renewables100.org
Related links
Topics
- Energy issues
Categories
- energy democracy
- campaign
- launch
- alliance
- renewable energy
- san francisco
- germany
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