Commenting that President Obama's remarks in his State of the Union address demonstrate the close alignment of US and UN goals on sustainable energy, Timothy Wirth, President of the UN Foundation, also stressed the focus placed on sustainable energy at the forthcoming Rio+20 Conference.
25 January 2012: United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth has released a statement reacting to US President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, which noted the US will help advance global sustainable energy goals.
Wirth noted that, in 2011, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon created the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, challenging governments, corporations and people around the world to promote universal energy access, coupled with significantly improved rates of energy efficiency, and a doubling of renewable energy production and use. Wirth commented that President Obama’s remarks demonstrate the close alignment of US policy goals and the UN’s leadership in the international community. He also stressed the major focus that has been placed on sustainable energy at the forthcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) and highlighted Ban’s statement that sustainable development is the Secretary-General’s top priority as he begins his second five-year term. Wirth concluded by calling for policies and investments that build a better, more secure future for everyone. [Statement by Timothy Wirth]