Ten of the world's leading renewable energy nations have joined forces to form the 'Renewables Club', an international body aimed at spurring the take up of clean energy in other parts of the globe.
The founding members are China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Morocco, South Africa, Tonga, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, which together account for more than 40% of global investments in renewable energy.
The 10 countries will also be joined by the director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency Adnan Ami. The club is intended to supplement and support the role played by IRENA in influencing global action on renewable energy deployment.
"As members of the club we aim to lead by example," said German environment minister Peter Altmaier, one of the main instigators of the initiative. "The Renewables Club is a political initiative of pioneering countries that are united by an important goal: a worldwide transformation of the energy system.
"Renewable energy is not only a good way of combating climate change, it also contributes to prosperity and supply security throughout the world. Especially at a time of growing energy demand, this is the attraction of renewable energy for countries all over the world."
The club members agreed to unite in putting renewable energy on the political agenda in future. At the next UN climate conference it plans to jointly present the advantages of renewable energy for prosperity, climate and sustainable development. As a network and driver of ideas, it also aims to generate impetus for projects promoting the global transformation of the energy system.
The high-level representatives adopted a communiqué acknowledging their role model function. "We call on other countries to follow suit and affirm our willingness to share information and experiences," the communiqué stated.
The next meeting of the Renewables Club will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi in January 2014 in the framework of the next session of the IRENA Assembly.
