United Nations (UN) has declared unanimously the decade 2014-2024 as the Decade for the Sustainable Energy for All, underlying the importance of the renewable energy for a sustainable development of all the people of the world. This resolution reaffirms the UN will of establishing a Sustainable Energy for All, just after the declaration of year 2012 as the International year for the Sustainable Energy for All with a great success and a big number of activities and projects developed.
A sunflower blooms in front of the solar array at Sterling College, in Craftsbury, Vermont. Picture from Sterling College (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)
The objective of this declaration is to draw the attention of the governments, international organizations, business, civil society leaders and people in general in order to:
- Increase use of sustainable energy sources globally
- Doubling the global rate of energy efficiency
- Achieve universal energy access to modern energy services
- Progress in the development of renewable technologies to increase their competitiveness and
- Moderate the use of traditional sources of energy (fossil fuels)
The achievement of these objectives should help to satisfy the increasing energy consumption and reduce the environmental impact. Apart from that, sustainable energy for All is essential for opening up new opportunities for growth and prosperity in every country of the world.
The UN initiative aimed at promoting sustainable energy sources and energy efficiency worldwide, with a forum to take place annually during the whole decade. The Forum will gather leaders from governments, the private sector, civil society and international organizations to assess progress on sustainable energy, showcase innovation, present new commitments and spur further action.
The UN initiative givesas well high importance to the universal energy access that would help to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Energy is the fuel of our society and keeps it alive and connects economic growth, increase social equity and a healthy environment. Sustainable development is not possible without sustainable energy.
And, as showed in a recent and encouraging report from UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), sustainable energy is gaining a bigger share of overall generation in the global energy mix. Now, the Decade for the Sustainable Energy for All and Forum will help stay on track to meet the objectives.