First World Energy Transition Day launched

The eleventh assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) begins today. Up until 21 January, the assembly will bring together virtually (for obvious reasons it will be conducted in strictly digital mode) over 2000 participants, including heads of state, ministers, multilateral organisations, international stakeholders and private sector actors, who will engage in the Assembly meetings under the overarching theme of “COVID19 – Energy Transition”.

The opening day of the Assembly will be proclaimed World Energy Transition Day, organised by IRENA itself with the aim of setting the direction of this four-day event, creating a high-level discussion on zero-emission policies, national energy planning, renewable energy investments and linking energy and health even more closely. With the postponed COP26 to be held later this year, 2021 is seen as an important opportunity for countries to increase their climate mitigation goals, including the deployment of renewable energy, to align economic recovery efforts with the Paris Agreement targets.

Assembly sessions on January 18, 19, and 20 will include a high-level panel on transforming the energy system for a sustainable post-COVID recovery, followed by four ministerial discussions on the topics of national energy planning and implementation, increasing funding for renewable energy, progress towards carbon neutrality, and the role of the energy transition in healthcare.