Climate Change Mitigation through Renewable Energies

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Energy is at the heart of the climate change mitigation agenda. The international community faces the immense challenge of providing two billion people with access to modern energy and assisting countries in meeting their development objectives, all while mitigating climate change. The global nature of the energy challenges and the growing role of energy in development and climate change mitigation will call for the development of energy strategies and policies, the dissemination of relevant scientific knowledge and technology and ensuring local capacities and competencies. UNESCO can play a catalytic role in this process.

Furthermore, promoting the use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency technologies and practices can contribute to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions while, at the same time, increasing the competitiveness of developing country economies and avoiding a negative impact on prospects for economic growth.

As energy demand continues to grow, the ability to address energy issues, including energy access, efficiency, renewable energy sources, low carbon technologies and security, will be paramount in enabling development and climate change priorities to be met in a mutually reinforcing way. Advances in energy efficiency offers the quickest, most affordable and most sustainable means of reducing emissions. Renewable sources of energy offer win-win solutions by increasing access to energy whilst reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. Access to energy is, above all, essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

To ensure a long-term, sustainable and environmentally sound supply of energy, joint efforts are required at the international level so as to find a solution to a range of intertwined problems, namely promoting comprehensive, holistic approaches to energy, sustainable development and climate change.