Call for clean energy

Addressing the World Energy Forum in Dubai — the first time it is being held outside the headquarters of the United Nations — they also stressed to chalk out a plan for sustainable energy that will benefit people at grass root level and promote safe, cost-effective and affordable sources of energy.

The three-day event is being held to boost the international cooperation and exchange of expertise to ensure safe and clean sustainable energy, which would achieve economic and social welfare for the people. The forum will run until tomorrow at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The heads of states, ministers and delegates said a shift to clean energy sources is urgent if the world is to maintain a sustainable environment and reduce dependence on traditional energy sources that do damage to the environment. They also urged governments to invest in research and development to reduce the cost of energy.

“It is important to invest in research and involve the private sector to promote the use the renewable energy across the globe,” Kuwait Minister of Finance Naif Al Hajraf said. He said it is important to develop knowledge-based sectors that can contribute in gross domestic production and create more job opportunities.

“It is the need of the hour to adopt cleaner resources like solar energy to save environment of the planet.”

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the World Energy Forum provided an opportunity to share the experience of developed nations that can benefit the developing states to overcome energy crisis. He said about 90 per cent of the Sri Lankan population has access to electricity, although it has become very expensive due to the reliance on imported crude oil. He said Sri Lanka sustained high growth in recent years, but it is facing a challenge to ensure affordable energy resources.

“We have to spend a significant amount of revenues to import crude oil and petroleum products to meet the demand of local industry,” he said. “Cheap, reliable and sustainable energy resources have become a challenge for developing states. We need to promote the renewable energy for sustainable economic growth,” he added.

Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina echoed the same views and said there is a need to diversify the resources. He said wind and solar energy should be promoted as an alternative source of energy. He praised the leadership of the UAE and said Dubai has become an international business hub.

“Dubai was not chosen to hold this important conference just because of its political stability, but also because of its excellent infrastructure,” he said. “The visionary leadership has turned the desert into a fast developing country.”

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh applauded the preparations for the World Energy Forum and said the UAE has once again excelled itself in hosting high-profile global forums. He said Djibouti’s plans to switch completely to clean and renewable energy by 2020, dispensing all conventional energy sources. “The move will not only support Djibouti’s sustainable development plans, but also put the country on the world map for its pioneering efforts.”

Highlighting the UAE’s status as one of the first countries in the Arab region to adopt clean energy, he said that initiatives such as Masdar, which seeks to make renewable energy a real and viable solution, have played a key role in achieving the UAE’s sustainability objective.

Guelleh affirmed that in generating its energy requirements, Djibouti is pleased to benefit from the experience and expertise of the UAE.

Grenada President Tillman Thomas said there is need to bring the cost of energy and reduce dependence on external resources. He said access to renewable energy is prerequisite for a sustainable development.

muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com