WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 (BIREC 2005) and Bonn in 2004 (Renewables 2004).
The Bonn conference produced the first International Action Program (IAP). It contains 197 non-binding commitments, all of which represent concrete initiatives towards promoting renewable energy. These actions were pledged voluntarily by participating governments, international organizations and stakeholders from civil society and the private sector. The IAP was published as an official outcome of the conference.
What Type of Pledges are Sought for the WIAP
Worldwide enthusiasm has increased dramatically since the Bonn Conference for Renewable Energies in 2004. It is now recognized that renewable energy has a significant potential to mitigate global climate change, address regional and local environmental concerns, reduce poverty, support economic development and increase energy security. And renewable energy has the potential to make a major contribution to the global energy mix using current technology and building off of an increasing basket of policy measures and market tools.
WIREC 2008 will address the benefits of and barriers to an accelerated deployment of renewable energy technology. The Washington International Action Program (WIAP) is intended to showcase those policy efforts and initiatives that will encourage widespread adoption. While the Bonn conference took place during the 'start-up phase' of renewables, WIREC 2008 heralds a maturing phase in which up-scaling of renewable energy deployment is the challenge. Pledges made as a contribution to the WIAP should reflect this progress.
Pledges may take many forms including: specific commitments, the development of a suite of policy instruments that will advance the use and adoption of renewable energy resources and technologies, the launch of programs that will increase the deployment of renewable energy or a combination of any of these options. Pledges will be collated and included in the Washington International Action Program as a central outcome of WIREC 2008.
Governments (Including National, Regional, and Local Authorities)
Governments are invited to make pledges on new or strengthened policy initiatives that will kick-start or accelerate renewable energy deployment.
The pledge should aim to introduce or strengthen the enabling framework necessary to accelerate the widespread adoption of renewable energy.
Numerous examples exist of how countries have successfully boosted the contribution of renewable energy to their energy supply in recent years. Various policy instruments exist, such as feed-in-tariffs, renewables portfolio standards, blending rules, capital grants, investment or production tax credits, preference for renewables in public investment and development programs, industry standards, building codes, capacity development etc.
The different instruments of renewable energy policy can be combined in various ways to form a comprehensive renewable energy policy as integral part of the national energy strategy. The pledge should seek a significant absolute or relative increase in renewables. In some cases, voluntary pledges may be oriented and underpinned by a government-set target for renewable energy shares to be achieved, either across all forms of energy-use, or for specific markets sectors, such as electricity, heating/cooling, or transport.
Government policy pledges will be implemented through market forces under the framework which is created by the policy, including fiscal incentives. Thus the implementation will be partially or totally financed through private sources.
Other types of government pledges will relate to programs, e.g. in research and development. Such programs may be co- funded by third-party governments or multilateral organizations. Depending on the specific set-up of the pledge, the third-party funding entity may in such a case become the leading actor or a co-leading actor.
International Organizations (including UN Organizations and International Financial Institutions)
Pledges made by international organizations should focus on fostering an enabling framework for the significant uptake of renewables within their focus region, or expand renewables-related programs or set renewable energy investment funding goals within the organization.
The voluntary pledge should focus on long-term action rather than individual one-off projects. Depending on the nature of the organization, pledges could focus on funding programs, development of human and technical capacity, technology development and transfer, etc.
Business and Civil Society and other Stakeholder Groups
Stakeholders from business and civil society are invited to make pledges to undertake longer-term activities, as well as individual projects.
The focus of these voluntary pledges should be a menu of creative actions that would lead to increases in renewable energy production, deployment and consumption and public awareness.
Pledges might consist of action to develop capacity, establish financing/investment schemes, build partnerships, increase awareness, improve planning processes, purchase electricity from renewable sources, increase research and deployment budgets, etc.
The Renewables Global Status Report an also provides overview of successful policies for quickly increasing renewable energy.
The Bonn Renewable Energies 2004 Conference adopted its own International Action Program, which may inspire ideas for WIAP pledges. Also, the Renewables 2004 Conference adopted a set of policy recommendations for various stakeholder groups.
