17 January 2012
UN Secretary-General Launches International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
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Ban Ki-moon noted that the 2012 International Year of Energy for All, which was declared by the UN General Assembly, officially began on 16 January 2012.

In his statement on the launch, he recalled the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative that he established as well as his three objectives to reach by 2030.

16 January 2012: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All during his address to the opening ceremony of the fifth World Future Energy Summit (WFES), stressing the need to end energy poverty to ensure equal opportunities.

Ban underscored the need for universal energy access and innovation to scale up clean energy and energy efficient technologies, and stressed the importance of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving energy efficiency. He described the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) as the beginning of a multi-year mission to achieve sustainable energy for all, and called for a new energy future that harnesses the power of technology and innovation in the service of people and the planet.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that the 2012 International Year of Energy for All, which was declared by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), officially began on 16 January 2012. In his statement on the launch, during the WFES in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), he recalled the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative that he established in 2011 as well as his three objectives to reach by 2030: ensuring universal access to modern energy services to all the people around the world; doubling the rate in improvement of energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. [IISD RS Coverage of Ban’s Statement at WFES] [UN Press Release]

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