Renewable energy opportunities top of the agenda at International Renewable Energy Agency’s Council Meeting in Abu Dhabi

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) holds its sixth Council meeting in Abu Dhabi this Tuesday and Wednesday. Delegates will focus on how the Agency can promote renewable energy best practices, help expand investment opportunities and secure a path to a sustainable energy future. The Council will also discuss a roadmap for doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. Additional topics include recent updates to IRENA’s Global Renewable Energy Atlas, and the agenda for the Agency’s Assembly meeting in January.

“The Council meetings are an important part of the global efforts to guide the Agency in promoting the use of renewable energy as an economically competitive energy source, and help build the foundation for progress and prosperity in the years to come,” said Adnan Z. Amin, IRENA's Director-General.

“This gathering of some 200 representatives from over 70 countries reflects the increasingly larger commitment to renewables and the sustainable energy future,” added Amin.

Representatives of 21 IRENA Members, elected for a two-year term on a rotating basis, will attend the two-day Council meeting in Abu Dhabi. IRENA’s Council is accountable to IRENA’s Assembly, which meets in Abu Dhabi on 18-19 January.

With participation by over 160 countries and the European Union, IRENA promotes the use of renewable energy worldwide. The Agency assists governments to adopt enabling policies for renewable energy investments, provides practical tools and policy advice to accelerate renewable energy deployment, and facilitates knowledge sharing and technology transfer to provide clean, sustainable energy for the world’s growing population. IRENA is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and maintains an Innovation and Technology Centre in Bonn as well as an office in New York.

In the wake of the recent ratification of the IRENA headquarters agreement, all IRENA member countries can now accredit diplomatic representation to IRENA in Abu Dhabi. IRENA last month received its first two permanent representatives from the UAE and Germany.

IRENA’s 4th Assembly will be held in Abu Dhabi on January 18 and 19, kicking off the annual Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.