Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE26870
2008-03-14 14:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:
WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 026870
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ENRG TRGY KGHG KPAO KSCA XX
SUBJECT: WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
CONFERENCE (WIREC),MARCH 4-6, 2008: WRAP-UP REPORT AND
ACTION REQUESTS
REF: A) STATE 9421 B) STATE 9413
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 026870
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ENRG TRGY KGHG KPAO KSCA XX
SUBJECT: WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
CONFERENCE (WIREC),MARCH 4-6, 2008: WRAP-UP REPORT AND
ACTION REQUESTS
REF: A) STATE 9421 B) STATE 9413
1. Action requests in paras 12 and 13.
SUMMARY
--------------
2. Summary: The Washington International Renewable
Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) and the co-located but
separately managed side events, trade show, and
business conference eclipsed expectations. Some
3,000 delegates from 118 countries, including more
than 100 Ministers, attended the conference, at which
the President and four U.S. Cabinet members gave
keynote addresses. More than 100 top-level speakers
contributed to the lively interaction among
governments, industry, and stakeholder groups.
During the conference, governments, industry
and stakeholder groups made more than 100 pledges for
the accelerated uptake of renewable energy.
Department appreciates posts efforts on behalf of
WIREC particularly the encouragement of ministerial-
level delegations, and following-up with host
governments to make substantial commitments to the
Washington International Action Program (WIAP). At
the pledge plenary on March 6, it was decided to
keep the WIAP open for additional pledges until
April 4, 2007. Since the close of WIREC, we have
received substantial pledges from Rwanda, St. Kitts
& Nevis, and the National Association of State Energy
Officials (NASEO). Department requests that posts
follow-up with their host governments to encourage
more pledges. Paras 12 and 13 contain discrete action
requests for posts that received formal invitations
for the host government to attend WIREC and for posts
that did not. End Summary.
WIREC EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATONS
--------------
3. The Washington International Renewable Energy
Conference was held from March 4-6 in Washington, D.C.,
at the Washington Convention Center. WIREC 2008
consisted of a Ministerial level meeting, a business
conference, a trade show, and official side events.
Each WIREC component exceeded the expectations of
its respective organizers. The WIREC Ministerial
meeting attracted 3,000 delegates from 118 countries.
Approximately, 100 Ministers, two Deputy Prime Ministers
and one Vice President attended. The Ministerial sessions
were led by more than one hundred leading speakers,
including a keynote address by President Bush on the
morning of March 5. More than 200 media registered for
the Ministerial and international coverage was extensive.
Participants attended over 25 plenary and concurrent
thematic sessions which featured interactive sessions,
several led by Ministers, on WIREC's four themes: market
adoption and finance, agriculture and rural development,
sub-national authorities, and research and development.
The WIREC agenda and presentations by many of the speakers
can be found on the official WIREC website
www.WIREC2008.gov. A summary of the WIREC 2008 proceedings
can be found at www.iisd.ca/ymb/wirec2008/.
4. The trade show attracted 242 leading renewable energy
exhibitors from all over the globe. 250 speakers led the
business conference, covering recent developments in wind,
solar, biomass, hydo, geothermal, biomass and biofuels.
Over 80 official side events took place at the
conference. These co-located, parallel events attracted
an additional 4,000 registered participants.
WIREC OUTCOMES: PLEDGES TO ACCELERATE THE UPTAKE OF
RENEWABLE ENERGY
-------------- --------------
5. In addition to the quality of the speakers, the
audience, and their interactions in both formal and
informal settings, WIREC achieved several other
important outcomes. By the end of the WIREC
STATE 00026870 002 OF 003
SUBJECT: WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
CONFERENCE (WIREC),MARCH 4-6, 2008: WRAP-UP REPORT AND
ACTION REQUES
conference, countries and other major stakeholders,
including local authorities, companies, and civil
society from more than 40 countries, had made more
than one hundred significant pledges to take
specific, quantifiable actions to accelerate the
uptake of renewable energy in line with WIREC's
vision statement.
6. Pledges were highlighted on the final day at the
pledge plenary session. DOE Assistant Secretary Andy
Karsner provided an overview of the pledge process,
noted that the US had fulfilled the pledges it had
made at the 2004 Bonn Renewables Conference, and
outlined the pledges that the US was making at WIREC.
Karsner noted that the pledges that could be made as
part of the Washington International Action Program
(WIAP) would be accepted until April 4, 2008.
7. After Karsner finished his presentation,
U/S Dobriansky called on a representative group of
Ministers whose countries had made significant
pledges to briefly discuss their renewable energy
initiatives. Among the countries recognized were
Jordan, Canada, Denmark, Cape Verde, Brazil,
New Zealand, Afghanistan, Norway, and Germany.
WIREC OUTCOMES: REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS
--------------
8. Another key outcome was the comprehensive
presentation by Buyelwa Sonjica, Minister of Minerals
and Energy of South Africa, of the regional
consultations that the Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) organized in Africa,
Latin America and Australia, prior to WIREC 2008.
Minister Sonjica observed that Africa's hydropower
potential remained untapped. She emphasized that
many developing countries lack renewable energy
goals, suitable financing, business models and
enabling policy frameworks. She noted that many
governments do not provide a level playing field
for renewable energy with traditional energy sources.
She highlighted the potential role that renewables
can play to address energy security, poverty
alleviation, climate change, and the negative effects
of increasing traditional fuel prices. A copy of the
REEEP report will be included in the official
Conference report which we plan to distribute
to posts by Spring 2008.
WIREC OUTCOME: INFO TOOL
--------------
9. One of the major outcomes of WIREC was to provide
an information tool kit that will enable users to
access information on best practices in renewable
energy that deal with WIREC's focal themes. To
facilitate this,the WIREC team worked with reegle, the
information gateway for renewable energy and energy
efficiency, www.reegle.info Reegle is a unique state of
the art tool, allowing for fast and user friendly access
to updated and relevant renewable energy information for
use by all interested parties.
NEXT HOST: INDIA
--------------
10. India's offer to host the next global renewable
energy conference in early 2010 was another key
outcome of the WIREC conference.
WASHINGTON THANKS EMBASSIES FOR THEIR EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF
WIREC
-------------- -
11. Washington agencies want to recognize and express
appreciation for the fundamental role that Embassies
played in the successful outcomes of WIREC. Your
diligent work convinced many governments to field
excellent ministerial-level delegations. Furthermore,
Embassy suggestions for invitations enriched the global
representation of civil society at WIREC. In many cases,
Embassies assisted delegates and speakers with necessary
logistical arrangements and travel documentation. We
also want to recognize posts for their tireless and
creative efforts with host governments that undoubtedly
STATE 00026870 003 OF 003
ACTION REQUESTS
--------------
12. Action Request for Posts Who Received Formal
Invitations for Host Governments to Attend WIREC: As we
have provided an additional window for countries to make
pledges until April 4, we ask posts in countries that
attended WIREC, but have not yet made a pledge, to
consider making one. The current list of countries and
other stakeholders that have made a pledge can be found
on the Renewable Energy Policy Network (REN21) website
at www.ren21.net/wiap/wirec. Ren21, our international
partner for WIREC, has agreed to follow-up on the pledges
and report results at the Indian global renewable energy
conference in 2010. Pledges are quite simple to make and
we urge countries to make the pledge on-line by going to
the home page of the official WIREC website
www.wirec2008.gov and clicking on the green pledge button.
We are particularly interested in posts demarching at an
appropriate level the following MEM countries to consider
a pledge for inclusion in the WIAP: China, South Africa,
India, Korea, and Mexico. We would appreciate a cable
response from these posts on the results of these
demarches. End Action Request.
13. Action Request for Posts Who Did Not Receive Formal
Invitations For Host Governments to Attend WIREC: At the
discretion of post, posts in countries that did not receive
formal invitations to WIREC may also elect to approach the
host government, or other stakeholders in-country as
appropriate, about the possibility of a WIREC pledge during
the additional window for countries to make pledges until
April 4. The current list of countries and other
stakeholders that have made a pledge can be found on the
Renewable Energy Policy Network (REN21) website at
www.ren21.net/wiap/wirec. Ren21, our international partner
for WIREC, has agreed to follow-up on the pledges and
report results at the Indian global renewable energy
conference in 2010. Pledges are quite simple to make
and we urge countries to make the pledge on-line by
going to the home page of the official WIREC website
www.wirec2008.gov and clicking on the green pledge
button. End Action Request.
POC FOR QUESTIONS
--------------
14. For additional information about WIREC 2008 and the
pledge process, contact OES Special Assistant Camille Hill
at HillCD2@state.gov and consult reftels and the official
WIREC website at www.wirec2008.gov.
15. Minimize considered.
RICE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ENRG TRGY KGHG KPAO KSCA XX
SUBJECT: WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
CONFERENCE (WIREC),MARCH 4-6, 2008: WRAP-UP REPORT AND
ACTION REQUESTS
REF: A) STATE 9421 B) STATE 9413
1. Action requests in paras 12 and 13.
SUMMARY
--------------
2. Summary: The Washington International Renewable
Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) and the co-located but
separately managed side events, trade show, and
business conference eclipsed expectations. Some
3,000 delegates from 118 countries, including more
than 100 Ministers, attended the conference, at which
the President and four U.S. Cabinet members gave
keynote addresses. More than 100 top-level speakers
contributed to the lively interaction among
governments, industry, and stakeholder groups.
During the conference, governments, industry
and stakeholder groups made more than 100 pledges for
the accelerated uptake of renewable energy.
Department appreciates posts efforts on behalf of
WIREC particularly the encouragement of ministerial-
level delegations, and following-up with host
governments to make substantial commitments to the
Washington International Action Program (WIAP). At
the pledge plenary on March 6, it was decided to
keep the WIAP open for additional pledges until
April 4, 2007. Since the close of WIREC, we have
received substantial pledges from Rwanda, St. Kitts
& Nevis, and the National Association of State Energy
Officials (NASEO). Department requests that posts
follow-up with their host governments to encourage
more pledges. Paras 12 and 13 contain discrete action
requests for posts that received formal invitations
for the host government to attend WIREC and for posts
that did not. End Summary.
WIREC EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATONS
--------------
3. The Washington International Renewable Energy
Conference was held from March 4-6 in Washington, D.C.,
at the Washington Convention Center. WIREC 2008
consisted of a Ministerial level meeting, a business
conference, a trade show, and official side events.
Each WIREC component exceeded the expectations of
its respective organizers. The WIREC Ministerial
meeting attracted 3,000 delegates from 118 countries.
Approximately, 100 Ministers, two Deputy Prime Ministers
and one Vice President attended. The Ministerial sessions
were led by more than one hundred leading speakers,
including a keynote address by President Bush on the
morning of March 5. More than 200 media registered for
the Ministerial and international coverage was extensive.
Participants attended over 25 plenary and concurrent
thematic sessions which featured interactive sessions,
several led by Ministers, on WIREC's four themes: market
adoption and finance, agriculture and rural development,
sub-national authorities, and research and development.
The WIREC agenda and presentations by many of the speakers
can be found on the official WIREC website
www.WIREC2008.gov. A summary of the WIREC 2008 proceedings
can be found at www.iisd.ca/ymb/wirec2008/.
4. The trade show attracted 242 leading renewable energy
exhibitors from all over the globe. 250 speakers led the
business conference, covering recent developments in wind,
solar, biomass, hydo, geothermal, biomass and biofuels.
Over 80 official side events took place at the
conference. These co-located, parallel events attracted
an additional 4,000 registered participants.
WIREC OUTCOMES: PLEDGES TO ACCELERATE THE UPTAKE OF
RENEWABLE ENERGY
-------------- --------------
5. In addition to the quality of the speakers, the
audience, and their interactions in both formal and
informal settings, WIREC achieved several other
important outcomes. By the end of the WIREC
STATE 00026870 002 OF 003
SUBJECT: WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
CONFERENCE (WIREC),MARCH 4-6, 2008: WRAP-UP REPORT AND
ACTION REQUES
conference, countries and other major stakeholders,
including local authorities, companies, and civil
society from more than 40 countries, had made more
than one hundred significant pledges to take
specific, quantifiable actions to accelerate the
uptake of renewable energy in line with WIREC's
vision statement.
6. Pledges were highlighted on the final day at the
pledge plenary session. DOE Assistant Secretary Andy
Karsner provided an overview of the pledge process,
noted that the US had fulfilled the pledges it had
made at the 2004 Bonn Renewables Conference, and
outlined the pledges that the US was making at WIREC.
Karsner noted that the pledges that could be made as
part of the Washington International Action Program
(WIAP) would be accepted until April 4, 2008.
7. After Karsner finished his presentation,
U/S Dobriansky called on a representative group of
Ministers whose countries had made significant
pledges to briefly discuss their renewable energy
initiatives. Among the countries recognized were
Jordan, Canada, Denmark, Cape Verde, Brazil,
New Zealand, Afghanistan, Norway, and Germany.
WIREC OUTCOMES: REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS
--------------
8. Another key outcome was the comprehensive
presentation by Buyelwa Sonjica, Minister of Minerals
and Energy of South Africa, of the regional
consultations that the Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) organized in Africa,
Latin America and Australia, prior to WIREC 2008.
Minister Sonjica observed that Africa's hydropower
potential remained untapped. She emphasized that
many developing countries lack renewable energy
goals, suitable financing, business models and
enabling policy frameworks. She noted that many
governments do not provide a level playing field
for renewable energy with traditional energy sources.
She highlighted the potential role that renewables
can play to address energy security, poverty
alleviation, climate change, and the negative effects
of increasing traditional fuel prices. A copy of the
REEEP report will be included in the official
Conference report which we plan to distribute
to posts by Spring 2008.
WIREC OUTCOME: INFO TOOL
--------------
9. One of the major outcomes of WIREC was to provide
an information tool kit that will enable users to
access information on best practices in renewable
energy that deal with WIREC's focal themes. To
facilitate this,the WIREC team worked with reegle, the
information gateway for renewable energy and energy
efficiency, www.reegle.info Reegle is a unique state of
the art tool, allowing for fast and user friendly access
to updated and relevant renewable energy information for
use by all interested parties.
NEXT HOST: INDIA
--------------
10. India's offer to host the next global renewable
energy conference in early 2010 was another key
outcome of the WIREC conference.
WASHINGTON THANKS EMBASSIES FOR THEIR EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF
WIREC
-------------- -
11. Washington agencies want to recognize and express
appreciation for the fundamental role that Embassies
played in the successful outcomes of WIREC. Your
diligent work convinced many governments to field
excellent ministerial-level delegations. Furthermore,
Embassy suggestions for invitations enriched the global
representation of civil society at WIREC. In many cases,
Embassies assisted delegates and speakers with necessary
logistical arrangements and travel documentation. We
also want to recognize posts for their tireless and
creative efforts with host governments that undoubtedly
STATE 00026870 003 OF 003
ACTION REQUESTS
--------------
12. Action Request for Posts Who Received Formal
Invitations for Host Governments to Attend WIREC: As we
have provided an additional window for countries to make
pledges until April 4, we ask posts in countries that
attended WIREC, but have not yet made a pledge, to
consider making one. The current list of countries and
other stakeholders that have made a pledge can be found
on the Renewable Energy Policy Network (REN21) website
at www.ren21.net/wiap/wirec. Ren21, our international
partner for WIREC, has agreed to follow-up on the pledges
and report results at the Indian global renewable energy
conference in 2010. Pledges are quite simple to make and
we urge countries to make the pledge on-line by going to
the home page of the official WIREC website
www.wirec2008.gov and clicking on the green pledge button.
We are particularly interested in posts demarching at an
appropriate level the following MEM countries to consider
a pledge for inclusion in the WIAP: China, South Africa,
India, Korea, and Mexico. We would appreciate a cable
response from these posts on the results of these
demarches. End Action Request.
13. Action Request for Posts Who Did Not Receive Formal
Invitations For Host Governments to Attend WIREC: At the
discretion of post, posts in countries that did not receive
formal invitations to WIREC may also elect to approach the
host government, or other stakeholders in-country as
appropriate, about the possibility of a WIREC pledge during
the additional window for countries to make pledges until
April 4. The current list of countries and other
stakeholders that have made a pledge can be found on the
Renewable Energy Policy Network (REN21) website at
www.ren21.net/wiap/wirec. Ren21, our international partner
for WIREC, has agreed to follow-up on the pledges and
report results at the Indian global renewable energy
conference in 2010. Pledges are quite simple to make
and we urge countries to make the pledge on-line by
going to the home page of the official WIREC website
www.wirec2008.gov and clicking on the green pledge
button. End Action Request.
POC FOR QUESTIONS
--------------
14. For additional information about WIREC 2008 and the
pledge process, contact OES Special Assistant Camille Hill
at HillCD2@state.gov and consult reftels and the official
WIREC website at www.wirec2008.gov.
15. Minimize considered.
RICE