WASHINGTON, January 15, 2008 – As the host of the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008), the United States government today announced the launch of the Washington International Action Program, which will collect domestic and international pledges to accelerate the global uptake of renewable energy.

"WIREC participants, including national governments, state and local authorities, industry, and civil society are encouraged to pledge a variety of specific policy measures and program initiatives that will significantly increase the deployment and use of renewables worldwide," said Ambassador Reno Harnish, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

Pledges will be collected, analyzed, and publicized in the Washington International Action Program, and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) will support WIREC 2008 by following up on the implementation of the pledges in the coming years.

Ambassador Harnish noted that the first International Action Program (available at www.ren21.net/iap) showcased the tremendous impact that these voluntary pledge programs have on driving up renewable energy. "The pledges from the first International Renewable Energy Conference in 2004 at Bonn have already achieved an 86 million ton per-year reduction in carbon dioxide," he explained.

"We expect even greater results from the Washington International Action Program, since these pledges should reflect the significant progress that's been made in the industry since 2004 and will therefore be more ambitious," Harnish added.

Because the Washington International Action Plan will focus on policy actions and measurable results, Harnish and conference organizers believe these pledges will be one of the most significant outcomes of WIREC 2008.

"We are devoting an entire session on our conference agenda exclusively to pledges," Harnish said, noting that while entities making pledges for WIREC 2008 are free to publicize their commitments when and how they wish, WIREC organizers will keep pledges confidential until the conference occurs from March 4 through 6, 2008 in Washington, DC.

Participants interested in making a pledge to advance renewable energy can learn more at www.wirec2008.gov.

WIREC 2008 is being hosted by the United States government, with participation from numerous agencies, including the Departments of State, Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

WIREC 2008 will be held at the Washington Convention Center on March 4-6, 2008. An international platform for government, private sector, and non-governmental leaders to jointly address the goal of advancing renewable energy, WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 and Bonn in 2004. WIREC 2008 will build on the success of the previous conferences by combining a Ministerial Meeting with other events, including a Business Conference, Trade Show Exhibition, and Official Side Events. The collocated Trade Show and Business Conference at WIREC 2008 is being organized by the American Council On Renewable Energy and 14 domestic and international renewable energy trade associations.

###