New Global Alliance calls for 100 Percent Renewable Energy
San
Francisco/ Hamburg, 17 April 2013: A newly established global alliance of civil society
organizations, academics, business associations and policy makers has called
upon national legislators to commit to 100 percent renewable energy in the
power, heating&cooling and transportation sector. At the Pathways To 100% Renewable
Energy Conference, taking place in San Francisco, California today, the
alliance launched a new international campaign that seeks to build political will among a critical mass of decision
makers and set a required goal of 100% renewable energies. Among the founding
partners of the new alliance are the World Future Council, Renewables 100
Policy Institute, World Wind Energy Association, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar
Energy Systems, DeENet and World Bioenergy Association.
“It is a fact that non-renewable energies will,
by definition, run out. It is also a fact that in the meantime, dependence on
these energy sources is causing multiple existential global crises. If human
beings are to preserve modernity and planetary habitability, we must soon shift
to 100% renewable energy in all sectors,” said Stefan Schurig, Director of Climate
and Energy, World Future Council. In a joint statement the representatives of the new alliance also state
that despite this basic logic, so far most political decision makers have taken
measures nowhere near proportional to the problem. “One fundamental necessity
to breaking the inertia should be a robust, global call for 100% renewable
energy that creates urgently needed political will among legislators around the
globe,” says Diane Moss, Founding Director of Renewables 100 Policy Institute
“The technologies to harvest these energy sources
already exist today, and they are already cost-competitive,” says Stefan
Gsänger, Secretary General of World Wind Energy Association. “It is the
responsibility of our generation to do whatever we can in order to switch as
fast as possible to 100% renewable energy."
Upgrading renewable energies
mainly results in structural change from which regions and communities are the
principal beneficiaries. Several regions, communities and cities for example in
Germany and Denmark prove that this ambitious goal is already becoming a reality.
The success story of those regions comes as a consequence of high citizen participation
and the regional value creation taking place through decentralized energy
production.
The alliance therefore calls upon
local, regional and national policy makers to implement political frameworks
that enable citizens and municipalities to profit from this transition. “The
right political framework, including positive goals for energy efficiency and
renewable energy, is absolutely crucial to achieve 100% renewable energy,” says
Prof. Eicke Weber, Director of the Fraunhofer ISE and former Professor at UC
Berkeley. “Our task is to adapt policy frameworks on all governance levels to today`s
reality and to further develop best policies.”
To that end, knowledge transfer
and exchange between policy makers are vital. At the Pathways To 100% Renewable
Energy Conference, one message resounded: we must establish networks between trailblazing
countries and people to realize the implementation of a global energy
transition with 100 percent renewable energy. Weber: “Despite numerous good
practices and successful policy instruments, existing solutions do not always
get through to policy makers in government. I hope this campaign helps to facilitate
this kind of dialogue so countries can learn from the invaluable experiences of
frontrunner countries like Germany, Denmark and other countries in order to avoid
wasting scarce resources.” For more information on the campaign please visit www.go100.percent.or
About us
World Future Council
The World Future Council brings
the interests of future generations to the centre of policy making. Its up to 50 eminent members from
around the globe have already successfully promoted change. The Council addresses challenges to
our common future and provides decision-makers with effective policy solutions. In-depth research underpins
advocacy work for international agreements, regional policy frameworks and national lawmaking and
thus produces practical and tangible results. For further information please visit our website: www.worldfuturecouncil.org
Renewables 100 Policy Institute
The Renewables 100 Policy Institute was founded
to advance 100 percent renewable energy scenarios, based on the recognition
that civilization cannot survive and continue to depend on non-renewable
resources. The organization aims to conduct and distribute research, studies,
and analysis showing the most economically and technologically feasible ways
for all nations to achieve the 100 percent renewable energy supply, including
fuels for the transportation sector. For further information please visit our website: http://www.renewables100.org
World Wind Energy Association WWEA
WWEA works for a transformation of the world energy
system towards 100 % renewable energy, with wind energy as one cornerstone.
WWEA advises national governments and international organizations, provides
up-to-date information about wind power and enhances know-how transfer.
Currently, WWEA has 600 direct and more than 50 000 indirect members and
represents the wind sector from more than 100 countries on all continents. The
WWEA members include national wind energy associations as well as companies,
scientific institutions and public bodies. WWEA is co-founder of the International Renewable Energy Alliance and
has Special Consultative Status at the United Nations. For further information please visit our
website: www.wwindea.org
Fraunhofer ISE
With a total staff of about 1300, Fraunhofer
ISE in Freiburg is Europe’s largest solar research institute. Fraunhofer ISE
works to provide the technologies for a sustainable, economic, safe and
socially just energy supply system. Towards this goal the institute develops
materials, components, systems and processes in several business areas,
including building efficiency and technology, solar photovoltaics and
solar thermal systems, regenerative power systems and hydrogen technologies.
The institute runs as well accredited test centers. http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de
