IRENA Turns 15 on the First International Day of Clean Energy

Agency celebrates its founding day, proclaimed by the UN in acknowledgement of the critical role that renewables play in driving climate action and sustainable development

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 26 January 2024 – Today marks the 15th anniversary of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). IRENA’s birthday coincides with the inaugural International Day of Clean Energy, declared by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last year.

By adopting a resolution proclaiming the founding date of IRENA on 26 January as the International Day of Clean Energy, UNGA recognised the Agency’s leading role in accelerating the global, renewables-based energy transition.

IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said: “I congratulate IRENA and its Membership for their vital role in bringing renewable energy to the forefront of the global energy discourse. With 169 Members, IRENA stands as the global engine driving a global energy transition grounded in renewables that delivers on climate and development priorities. My thanks go to the IRENA staff for their tireless contribution over the last 15 years and to the UAE for hosting the Agency in Abu Dhabi.”

La Camera added: “The establishment of an international day, largely thanks to the advocacy of the UAE and Panama as co-facilitators of the UN resolution, is a testament to the growing support for renewables seen worldwide. A fair, just, equitable, and urgent transition towards clean energy is essential to avoid the worst of climate effects and spur sustainable development.”

Founded in 2009, IRENA supports nations in their adoption and deployment of renewable energy. Across its 15-year journey, IRENA has been instrumental in spearheading efforts to advance renewable energy policies, technologies, and knowledge-sharing at the national, regional and global levels.

The joint honouring of IRENA’s anniversary and the first International Day of Clean Energy takes place on the back of the highly consequential COP28, which established a global goal to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, aligning with IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook (WETO). WETO charts a clear path toward 1.5^°C by focusing on key priorities for the energy transition such as modernising and expanding infrastructure, establishing robust enabling policies, and enhancing institutional and human capacity.

As the global community begins to assess the outcomes of COP28, today’s commemoration offers a significant occasion to sustain the impetus for renewables and reaffirm international commitments towards a sustainable future.

Read IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook.