International agreement set to promote sustainable energy

The UK and other countries have agreed to work together to promote the use of sustainable energy, under a new partnership launched today.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is a result of discussions from the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg last year. It aims to bring together technology, expertise, political will and funding to encourage countries looking to develop their sustainable energy markets.

Energy and environment ministers from countries including India, France, the US and the Philippines joined forces to launch the partnership at the Foreign Office.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: "In many situations sustainable energy is economically viable now, and the challenges of climate change and possibly increasing insecurity in the supply of fossil fuels can only make it more viable in the future."

Today's conference concluded that the partnership would work in three main areas:

• Identifying and removing policy and regulatory barriers to market development in sustainable energy at a regional level
• Helping to match finance with renewable and energy efficiency projects by facilitating better links between policy-makers, financiers, business and other stakeholders
• Providing strategic direction as well as having an important communications role, promoting and explaining the value and benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency to international organisations, Governments, regulators, business as well as consumers.

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett said that a global low carbon economy was "within grasp", but countries must work together to achieve it.

"Overall the REEEP provides opportunity for shaping the future direction of the energy system - in a way that meets partners social, economic and environmental objectives," she said.

The UK has a key aim of a 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 contained in the Energy White Paper published earlier this year.

(gmcg)