In a bold move to get the United Nations climate talks moving towards a positive and concrete outcome, Michael Eckhart, President of the American American Council On Renewable Energy called for a global agreement on the adoption of 25 percent renewable energy by the year 2025, to be called the Global Renewable Energy Standard (G-RES) and furthermore called on the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to be designated the lead agency to support implementation of the agreement.

"The world seeks leadership and guidance on the best path to a cleaner, safer environment and stable atmospheric ecosystem.  But it is clear to most of us that there is no single path - that this is a matter of many paths that together get the world to where it needs to be," said Eckhart.  "We know today that three of the cornerstone paths to climate protection are the adoption of renewable energy, investment in greater energy efficiency, and protection of the rainforests as the Earth's lungs.  It is time to have concerted action on each of those three paths and to get started on what we know will work.  I believe we can agree on the adoption of renewable energy here this week at the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun (COP-16), and we hereby call on the conference to introduce the measure and test it with a vote.  We believe it can pass, and call on other associations and NGOs to encourage their governments to agree."

"Most countries can meet this goal while also increasing economic growth and employment, insulating themselves from intense energy price swings, and protecting the ecosystems of our planet," said ACORE Advisory Board member Scott Sklar.

Previously, worldwide renewable energy groups signed a memorandum of understanding on the 25 percent by 2025 goal, including ACORE; the Chinese Renewable Energy Society (CRES) chaired by Shi Dinghuan; the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA) headed by Li Junfeng; the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) chaired by Arthorous Zervos; and the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE) chaired by Wolfgang Palz.  Other groups around the world have promoted a "25x2025" goal including the Energy Future Coalition in the U.S.

"Agreeing on a global renewable energy target would be a positive signal for the world that countries are really serious and take concrete action against climate change.  Renewable energy technologies together with energy efficiency are the key solution to abating climate change and at the same time promoting these creates millions of sustainable jobs and economic welfare. It is high-time to deliver a concrete outcome of the UN climate talks, the agreement on a global renewable energy target would send a signal of hope to the world," said Zervos.

“The Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA) and the Chinese Renewable Energy Entrepreneur Club (CREEC) heartily support the Global Renewable Energy Standard (G-RES) as a means to combat climate change and foster economic development,” said Li Junfeng, Secretary General of CREIA. “China will contribute to these efforts by continuing to push forward supporting policies; encouraging greater industry participation in the renewable energy market; and decreasing renewable energy production and transaction costs through international cooperation.”

About ACORE

ACORE, a 501(c)(3) membership non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, is dedicated to bringing renewable energy into the mainstream of the US economy and lifestyle through research and communications programs and membership committees. ACORE’S membership works in all sectors of the renewable energy industries including wind power, solar energy, geothermal energy, hydropower, ocean energy, biomass, biofuels, and waste energy. ACORE provides a common platform for the wide range of interests in the renewable energy community including end users, technology companies, manufacturers, utilities, professional service firms, financial institutions, colleges and universities, associations, non-profit organizations and government agencies. ACORE serves as a thought leadership forum through which these parties work together on common interests. ACORE co-organizes the REFF-Wall Street and REFF-West Finance Conferences, the RETECH All-Renewables Energy Conference and Exhibition, the Phase II National Policy Forum in Washington, DC, and hosts both domestic and global policy events furthering the mission of renewable energy. Additional information is available at www.acore.org.

About the  United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC):

The Convention on Climate Change sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change.  It recognizes that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. 

About the Cop-16 Climate Summit:

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is taking place in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December, 2010.

About International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA):

Mandated by governments worldwide, IRENA’s mission is to promote the widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. IRENA’s Member States pledge to advance renewables in their own national policies and programs, and to promote, both domestically and through international cooperation, the transition to a sustainable and secure energy supply.

About EREC:

The European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), is the umbrella organization of the major European renewable energy industry, trade and research associations active in the field of photovoltaics, small hydropower, solar thermal, bio-energy, ocean & marine, geothermal, wind energy and solar thermal electricity. It represents an industry with an annual turnover of more than €70 billion and more than 550,000 employees. Additional information is available on www.erec.org

# # #