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UN envoy Michael Bloomberg calls for renewable energy in India

Invest in cities, renewable energy, UN envoy Michael Bloomberg tells conference in India UN News Centre, 17 February 2015 – Welcoming India’s efforts to confront climate change, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, Michael Bloomberg, said today that the country was incredibly well placed to capitalise on the benefits of renewable energy.

Noting the Government’s plan to install about 100 gigawatts of solar power across the country by 2022, Mr. Bloomberg pointed to the major development benefits that the country could achieve, given the large amount of solar radiation it gets and the reduced level of infrastructure needed to pump solar energy into people’s homes.

“Imagine the signal it would send to the world if India were able to achieve its goal of bringing electricity to every household that lacks it, largely using clean solar power – at a fraction of the cost of the conventional grid.,” said the Special Envoy during his keynote address to the ‘RE-Invest’ conference, aimed at scaling-up financing for renewable energy. “It would be a success story told – and copied – around the world.”

Mr. Bloomberg joined leading renewables and investment professionals from India and across the world at the RE-Invest conference, as part of a two-day visit to the country in which he advocated for increased renewables, smarter cities, sustainable transport and urban climate adaptation……..

With countries coming to Paris this December to reach a new climate change agreement, Mr. Bloomberg said that no country will commit to goals they don’t think they can reach, or that come at too great a cost to economic growth. However, countries are continuing to move forward because they realise the benefits of action – for their economies and the health of their citizens.

“India’s leadership is helping to show other countries how much is possible – by showing that clean-energy, climate-resilient growth is the path to a brighter future,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “We’re all in this together, and we have a great deal to learn from one another.” http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=50109#.VOQCCOaUcnk

February 18, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general