IRENA/WMO: Renewable energy contributes to the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS)

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the World Meterological Organisation (WMO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly implement activities related to the assessment of renewable energy potentials.   The Director-General of IRENA, Mr. Adnan Amin and the Secretary General of WMO, Mr. Michel Jarraud, signed this first MOU between IRENA and a UN agency on 5 December during the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2011 (COP17).

This partnership has been initiated in Cancun at COP 16 last year and reached its successful conclusion with the signing ceremony today in Durban. 

The partnership brings together the WMO’s scientific knowledge and network, technical capabilities and programmes, with IRENA’s knowledge and convening power in the renewable energy area. This first agreement will provide meteorological information and scientific expertise on climate services to better serve the needs of the energy community.   Mr. Amin noted ‘The partnership we are signing today illustrates the need for cross sectoral cooperation to respond to the twin challenges of energy security and climate change. The contribution of meteorology to the accurate mapping of renewable energy potentials is essential and will enable IRENA to effectively address the needs of its stakeholders by providing critical information for decision making.’

Under this agreement, IRENA and WMO will exchange their publications and consult with each other on matters of mutual interest in particular on scientific, technological, regulatory and development issues.

 Mr. Jarraud said that ‘”this partnership between WMO and IRENA is symbolic of the extensive synergies developed over the last decade, between the meteorological and climate community and the renewable energy community to jointly address the challenge of climate change.”  

Mr Jarraud added: “ as WMO is recognized as the UN specialized agency with a mandate for international cooperation responsible in the field of meteorology, hydrology, climate and environmental issues as well as promoting rapid exchanges of meteorological, hydrological and climatological information, it is the common interest of IRENA and WMO to enhance their cooperation”.

IRENA will utilize the information from WMO’s international networks to assess renewable energy potentials in countries where this information is not available. The two organizations will develop their respective competences and activities to implement the Global Framework for Climate Services. 

For more information:

• IRENA and Clean Energy Ministerial - Global Solar and Wind Atlas
• WMO Global Framework for Climate Services

For media enquiries:

• IRENA irenapress@irena.org
• WMO wmo@wmo.int

About WMO: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences. It is the UN system’s authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources. The WMO currently has a membership of 189 Member States and Territories.
For more information please visit www.wmo.int

About IRENA: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to promote the widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. Since its founding in 2009 in Bonn, 149 states and the European Union signed the Statute of IRENA and 84 States and the European Union are ratifying members of the Agency.
For more information please visit www.irena.org