Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009

Gulf News

Sharm Al Shaikh, Abu Dhabi, Dubai: The German economist regarded as the father of the International Renewable Agency (Irena) Hermann Scheer yesterday said the UAE would have won the bid to host the headquarters even if the vote had gone ahead as scheduled.

Germany and Austria withdrew from the race after the UAE delegation met the headquarters executive committee and said it would get an overwhelming number of votes.

"This is a good compromise to bring an oil producing state with strong ambition to look beyond the oil age with the global leader in renewable energy [Germany]," he said.

Scheer said there would be "no obstacle" even though the headquarters is located in the UAE and the research wing in Germany.

Hosting Irena in the UAE is a significant achievement that will pave the way to more energy efficient ways, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, told Gulf News.

Dr Pachauri said: "I feel this is an extremely significant development for an oil exporting country to host the headquarters of an international agency that will support the cause of renewable energy. It is a very strong portrayal of what the UAE hopes to achieve."

Dr Pachauri has been a strong supporter of the UAE's bid and has spoken in favour of it on several occasions.

"Basing Irena in the country will benefit the UAE because clearly this is a country that has enormous potential for making use of renewable energy. One has to think of the post-oil era, too. In that context, making use of renewable energy sources will also serve the country from the economic point of view," he said in a telephone interview from India.

"I hope that the Middle East will wake up to the potential of something like this. There is much room to curb huge wastage of resources and more efficient use of oil", he emphasized.

Thom D. Bohlen, AIA, LEED AP, chief technical officer, Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development, said the win will make the UAE the hub of development for future renewable technologies.

"This is a monumental feat for Abu Dhabi and the UAE. It is a watershed event for the country to become the hub for the development of future renewable technologies and their implementation across the world in a concerted effort to mitigate the effects of climate change," he said.

Bohlen said the UAE has made the rest of the world sit up and take notice of its achievements including "ESTIDAMA, a new Abu Dhabi-based regionalised sustainable development rating system and building regulations; MasdarMasdar, a zero-carbon city in Abu Dhabi dedicated to the development of renewable energy technologies and their implementation; the resolution by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for a green Dubai, and Dubai MunicipalityDubai Municipality's proposed Green Regulations."

He added: "The United Arab Emirates is a country committed to develop cutting-edge sustainable technologies and systems to mitigate climate change and ultimately save our planet. The new headquarters for Irena is where it should be."

Ali Bin Towaih, executive director, ENPARK, said: "The choice of the UAE as the home of Irena is testament to our nation's drive to become a global leader in sustainable energy. The UAE has several bold projects seeking to redress some of the world's most pressing environmental problems which not only distinguish it from others but solidifies its status as a pioneer in renewable energy.

"In a region where oil is a predominant source of energy, locating Irena in the UAE validates the seriousness with which solutions to our planet's deteriorating environment must be urgently met. We are confident Irena will find a hospitable and strategic partner in the UAE," he said.

Razan Al Mubarak, managing director of Emirates Wildlife Society in association with the World Wide Find for Nature (EWS-WWF), said: "We are pleased to learn that Abu Dhabi was selected to host the Irena headquarters. The decision shows a clear recognition of the increasingly important role being played by emerging economies in the climate change and clean technology debate.

"By hosting Irena, there is an incredible opportunity for the UAE to show genuine leadership and inspire other countries in the region - and beyond - to diversify and propel their economies to a low carbon pathway with reduced reliance on fossil fuels.

"We believe that MasdarMasdar's emphasis on research, development and production of renewable energies will complement the goals of Irena. And it will help support the development of practical, evidence-based policies for local implementation, while helping developing countries in the region and beyond to follow a low carbon development pathway."

"Policies such as the seven per cent renewable energy target by 2020 are an essential first step, and we hope that hosting Irena will greatly enhance this momentum and enable the country to meet and surpass such goals," he said.

Shezan Amiji, managing director, Ecoventures, said: "We applaud the decision of the international community to locate the International Renewable Energy Agency headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

"We hope that this decision will provide the necessary catalyst for the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies in the UAE and across the Middle East."

Karim Aly; co-founder of Ecobility Energy Solutions and Emirates Biodiesel, said: "As elected host to the agency which will guide the world into a sustainable, efficient and low-carbon energy future, the UAE has definitively demonstrated its commitment to the renewable energy sector. This acknowledgment has revealed the underlying confidence in the nation's ability to foster sustainability across sectors and industries."

By Abbas Al Lawati, Emmanuelle Landais, and Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporters

© Gulf News 2009. All rights reserved.

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