14 October 2015
SAIREC Declaration Commits to Work on Global Energy Access
UN Photo/Mark Garten
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At the conclusion of the South African International Renewable Energy Conference (SAIREC), over 3,600 delegates from 82 countries adopted the SAIREC Declaration.

In consideration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Declaration stresses that increased deployment of renewable energy will improve global energy access and energy security, help mitigate emissions and contribute to sustainable economic development.

SAIREC 20157 October 2015: At the conclusion of the South African International Renewable Energy Conference (SAIREC), over 3,600 delegates from 82 countries adopted the SAIREC Declaration. In consideration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Declaration stresses that increased deployment of renewable energy will improve global energy access and energy security, help mitigate emissions and contribute to sustainable economic development.

Participants at SAIREC 2015, which convened from 4-7 October 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa, included cabinet ministers, government delegations, representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academia, business, industry and international organizations, who all committed to upscale and mainstream renewables in order to achieve a global energy transition.

The Declaration states that: 2.9 billion people lack access to clean forms of cooking; to make universal access a reality by 2030, 1.3 billion people, 621 million of which live in sub-Saharan Africa, should be provided access to electricity; all approaches, including grid and off-grid solutions should be considered and adopted; and rural and urban demands can best be met with a diverse technology mix that takes advantage of sub-Saharan Africa’s solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and hydropower resources.

The Declaration also emphasizes various elements, inter alia: transparent and effective procurement processes; prioritizing renewable energy globally; skills transfer and development; securing financial resources; prioritizing regulatory frameworks, local supply chains and local investment; integrated planning; regional trade and energy resource development; programmes for infrastructural development in Africa; and clean energy corridor initiatives and focusing on the African Renewable Energy Initiative.

SAIREC was the first international renewable energy conference following the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, which, for the first time includes a dedicated goal on sustainable energy. Thus, SAIREC participants considered the SDG on sustainable and modern energy for all, with its three targets on access, renewables and energy efficiency, and focused in particular on Africa. Countries are expected to emphasize the growing role of renewables in their national efforts to reduce emissions at the Paris Climate Change Conference.

SAIREC was the sixth meeting in the series of International Renewable Energy Conferences (IRECs), the first of which was held in Bonn, Germany, in 2004. SAIREC 2015 was hosted by the South African Department of Energy and the South African National Energy Development Institute, and supported by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st century (REN21). [SE4ALL Press Release] [SAIREC Declaration] [IISD RS Story on SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report]



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