International Renewable Energy Agency launched

A new organisation promoting the use and development of renewable energy launched today in Bonn, Germany.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will give advice to industrialised and developing nations on reducing fossil fuel dependency.

Fifty-five governments have committed to full IRENA membership, whilst a total of 116 countries will take part in the agency.

Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Spain will all sign the founding treaty.

Neither Britain nor the US have signed up for membership, although the US is expected to under the new administration, and the UK will send officials to observe IRENA events.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said: “We are certainly supportive and are interested in joining but we need to make sure that what we’re joining has the right focus.

“There needs to be more focus on the deployment of renewables rather than just talking policy and issuing papers – and there needs to be a wider membership.”

DECC indicated that it wants to see the US, Japan and China signing up before it will consider joining.

Environmental campaigners have frequently accused the government of dithering over renewable energy and doing little to combat the UK’s fossil fuel addiction.