Successful preparation of the International Conference for Renewable Energies (press release BMU)

18 May 2004. Major interest is evident two weeks before the opening of the International Conference for Renewable Energies in Bonn

Two weeks before the start of the International Conference for Renewable Energies, "renewables 2004", in Bonn, Federal Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul and Federal Environment Minister J�rgen Trittin have expressed their support for an increase in the global use of renewable energies. The Conference must, by means of an international action plan, facilitate the global breakthrough of energy generated from wind, water and solar power, biomass and geothermal energy.

On the invitation of the German government, representatives of governments, international organisations, enterprises and NGOs from all over the world will meet for talks from 1 to 4 June on how to bring about an increased use of renewable energies in industrialised and developing countries. The focal point of these four-day discussions will be political framework conditions for the market development of renewable energies, financing this development, capacity building, technological development and research.

The Conference has already met with a very positive response. So far 74 minister have confirmed their participation, as well as 103 government delegations, who will all be at the Conference when Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schr�der officially opens the ministers' segment of the Conference on 3 June in the plenary hall of the former German Bundestag.

Around 2000 delegates from governments, international organisations such as UNEP and the World Bank, industry, NGOs and civil society are expected to attend. They will be demonstrating model technologies and projects in the field of renewable energies at over 60 side-events.

The discussions will be geared towards three decisions: an international action programme will compile concrete measures, expansion targets and voluntary commitments for individual countries and regions. The ministers will elaborate a political vision for a global transformation in energy structures in a Bonn Declaration, and will agree on a follow-up process to the Bonn Conference. Finally, policy recommendations will be drawn up on practical ways to achieve an increase in the use of renewable energies.

Minister Wieczorek-Zeul emphasised the importance of the conference in combating poverty: "2 billion people have no access to modern energy forms. Access to water and energy are essential to combating poverty. Renewable energies offer poorer countries in the South excellent opportunities to replace expensive oil imports with domestic energy sources. In rural areas renewables are already a competitive energy source which also create work and income."

J�rgen Trittin also highlighted that "the global challenge of climate protection requires a restructured, environmentally sound and future-oriented energy system. We have to drastically reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent hazardous changes in the climate. We must ensure that the global temperature does not increase by more than 2�C by the end of this century as compared with pre-industrialisation temperatures. This necessitates not only a considerable increase in energy efficiency in the use of fossil fuels, but above all increased use of renewable energies."

Regional preparatory conferences in Brazil, Kenya, Germany, Thailand and Yemen considerably raised the international profile of the conference and gave regions the opportunity to express their expectations and needs.

At the World Summit in Johannesburg in September 2002, Federal Chancellor Schr�der announced Germany's plan to host an International Conference for Renewable Energies. Agreement was reached at the Summit that the global share of renewable energy sources needs to be increased significantly and vigorously. To this end, the German government wants to forge political alliances to prevent blockades, as experienced in debates on other global issues, such as global trade.

"Renewables 2004" will portray the global increased use of renewable energies as a win-win strategy for all stakeholders: more solar power, more wind power, biomass, hydropower and geothermal power, together with greater energy efficiency will make a crucial contribution to shaping a future-oriented energy structure.