Governments Need to Act in Rio for a Sustainable Energy Future

Today commercial wind power is deployed in more than 75 countries around the world, with 21 countries having more than 1000 MW installed. The current 250 GW+ of installed capacity is more than 30 times what was deployed just 15 years ago, when the Kyoto protocol was signed in 1997.

Industry projections show that wind power will, with the right policy support, double in capacity by 2015, and again by the end of this decade, delivering 9 – 12 % of global electricity supply. This will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 1.5 billion tons per annum, save billions of litres of precious fresh water, and contribute to energy security and price stability in countries around the world; but for wind power and other renewables to reach their full potential, governments need to act.

When world leaders gather in Rio next week, they will have an opportunity to set a new course towards a more sustainable energy future. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative calls for universal energy access, a doubling of energy efficiency and a doubling of renewable energy by 2030.

Kandeh K. Yumkella, the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the leader of the Secretary General’s initiative said, "We need to double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030. This can be achieved with significant contribution from wind energy, both grid connected and for small-scale decentralised systems. The ‘Global Wind Day’ on 15 June, does play a central role in contributing to the UNSG’s Sustainable Energy For All initiative through galvanising the much needed support for the wind energy industry from political leaders around the globe".

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