Mr. Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Secretary-General for the International Conference on Small Island Developing States
Opening Remarks at the High-Level Event: Implementing Sustainable Energy for All
22 September 2014, New York
Excellencies
Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me start by thanking Mr. Kandeh Yumkella, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative. I commend your strong leadership and commitment to advancing the objectives of this important global initiative.
I would like to also thank the Sustainable Energy for All team for convening this important event. Implementation is critical. The focus today on financing, investing, and scaling up efforts on energy efficiency, renewable energy and universal energy access is very important.
The Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative has made remarkable progress in the last years. It has led the charge towards a major transformation of global energy systems.
Support and mobilization by many stakeholders is helping to move the international community towards the objectives of this initiative quickly. Nevertheless, much more is needed to eliminate energy poverty worldwide.
At the UN, the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals has reiterated the importance of energy in the post-2015 development agenda. It has proposed a dedicated goal on Energy. The goal focuses on access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030 with five specific targets.
Also, the General Assembly declared 2014-2024 the “United Nations Decade of Sustainable Energy for All.” This declaration stresses the need for a coherent, integrated approach to energy issues and the promotion of synergies across the global energy agenda for sustainable development.
This resolution is already triggering supporting projects and programmes by many Member States, UN agencies and international organizations.
Renewable energy and innovative, efficient energy systems stand at the center of global efforts to shift towards green economies, poverty eradication and ultimately sustainable development.
Renewable sources of energy and efficient energy systems are now recognized not only as important and valuable options for energy supply, but also as key resources for addressing global challenges, including universal energy access, energy security, and climate change.
Continuing technological advances, lower costs and successful deployment and use of such systems in many developed and developing countries have demonstrated their potential to satisfy energy requirements and to replace other energy sources that have more negative impacts.
Transitioning to sustainable energy and ensuring universal access to modern energy services will not only help alleviate current vulnerabilities of national and regional energy sectors, but will also create decent jobs and opportunities for developing local industries, strengthening economies in all countries.
This event will provide an opportunity to build momentum and strengthen dialogue on policy, technical and entrepreneurial approaches to accelerating universal energy access and enhancing the use of efficient and renewable energy technologies.
I wish you very fruitful discussions.
Thank you.
