This week, drowned out by the clamorous roar of the global recession a small but significant event occurred simultaneously across both the UK and France. IRENA, established in 2008, convened formally for the first time on 26th January 2009, it’s a new organisation, similar to the IEA designed to provide policy advice and coordination for renewable energy among its members and to encourage technology transfers to developing countries. 55 countries, including many of Europe’s big hitters such as Germany, Denmark and Spain have signed on and the US is expected to join in the near future, however the UK and France, despite leadership rhetoric on Climate change have both decided to watch from the sidelines.
IRENA’s founders, argue that the IEA, the current global energy body, favours fossil fuel energy sources and underestimates the role renewable energy can play (see a report by the EWG (Energy Watch Group) which emphasises this). With investment in renewable energies ramping up, IRENA has every chance of becoming a key player in the coordination of international renewable energy policy, so why are both the UK and France on the sidelines?
