International Conference for Renewable Energies - Renewables 2004: Overview

Bonn, Germany: 1-4 June 2004

Conference Structure and Participation

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced in September 2002 that his government would host an International Conference for Renewable Energies to maintain the momentum on renewables that had developed during the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

During subsequent preparations by the German government and the International Steering Committee formed to guide it, Renewables 2004 has been conceived as a formal intergovernmental conference but with official participation of U.N. and other international organizations and a variety of other “stakeholder” groups, ranging from the private sector to rural development organizations. The broad array of conference participants is designed to engage all of those with a stake in or a commitment to the development of renewable energy.

Renewables 2004 is expected to attract more than 1500 participants who will join in or observe the official deliberations as well as participating in a variety of side events, including a meeting of national parliamentarians, a business forum, a finance forum, a municipal leaders conference, and a stakeholders dialogue.

Aims of the Conference

The International Conference for Renewable Energies is intended to prepare the ground for a global expansion of renewable energies, integrated into a broader strategy to create a highly efficient and sustainable energy future. The conference will identify the key obstacles to the wider use of renewable energies and will focus on practical solutions to overcome these barriers. In bringing together the key decision-makers from the fields of energy, environment, development and planning, the conference will address key challenges in sustainable development such as access to energy for the poor and the protection of the global climate.

In pursuing these aims, the conference is responding to the call of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. The conference will also maintain the momentum generated by the coalition of like-minded countries for the promotion of renewable energy (known as the Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition, JREC), as articulated in their joint declaration “The Way Forward on Renewable Energy.”

Conference Issues

Energy services are fundamental for social and economic development. The key question is how to make a global transition to a sustainable energy system in an active and timely manner, while allowing for the social and economic development of both industrial and developing countries. Three key issues have been identified for the conference:

Policies for renewable energy market development

The large-scale development of markets is a prerequisite for a substantial increase in the use of renewable energies. Today, renewable energies do not always have the necessary enabling policy framework to fully develop their market potential. What can governments, international organizations and stakeholders do to develop the market and create a level playing field for renewable energies?

Financing options for renewable energies

The characteristics of renewable energy technologies often imply high up-front investments that require particular financing solutions. How and under what pre-conditions could public and private capital providers improve financing of renewables in both industrial and developing countries?

Strengthening of human and institutional capacity

Individual knowledge and institutional structures are not yet sufficient to overcome the market shortcomings and barriers to financing. What is necessary to place capacity building, research and technology development and institutional improvements high on the agenda?

More information on the conference issues is discussed in the preparatory documents: the Conference Issue Paper and the twelve Thematic Background Papers. They are available at the conference website: www.renewables2004.de/en/cd/default.asp

Expected Outcomes

In the spirit of a shared commitment to facilitate a global breakthrough for renewable energies, conference participants will draw conclusions for political decision-making and action on local, national, regional and global levels, building on the rich experience with renewable energies in the North and South. Three elements, which will be linked closely and transferred into three conference documents, are envisaged:

Governments will wish to express their aspirations and priorities in a Political Declaration containing shared political goals for an increased role of renewable energies and reflecting a joint vision of a sustainable energy future, which provides better and more equitable access to energy as well as increased energy efficiency. Differentiated approaches will reflect widely differing situations in countries and regions.

An International Action Program will be on the agenda, including actions and commitments by governments, international organizations and stakeholders. Conference participants are invited to contribute to the action program with voluntary commitments to goals, targets and actions within their own spheres of responsibility. They may benefit from alliances and partnerships forged through the conference. The conference conveners have issued a “call for actions and commitments” with information on how to contribute to the International Action Program. Proposed actions and commitments should have a significant impact.

The conference may also wish to adopt Policy Recommendations for Renewable Energies, which can be of benefit to governments, international organizations and stakeholders as they develop new approaches and political strategies and address the roles and responsibilities of key actors. “State-of-the-art” policy guidance based on national experiences in the North and South, best practices and “success stories” can transfer critical knowledge from actors with extensive experience on particular issues to others.

The conference outcomes will include arrangements for a follow-up process and a mechanism to share information on progress in implementing the International Action Program. In addition, a conference report will be published including information on participants, agenda, themes and proceedings of the conference.