Just an very short (edit on 3.7.) update from the second session of the Preparatory Commission of IRENA in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt):

The Signatories designated Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, as the headquarters. The other candidates for the headquaters Bonn and Vienna withdrew their candidacies shortly before Abu Dhabi was chosen. The UAE has proposed to locate IRENAMandated by governments worldwide, IRENA's (International Renewable Energy Agency) mission is to promote the widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. IRENA's Member States pledge to advance renewables in their own national policies and programs, and ...‘s headquarters in Masdar, a 22 billion-dollar city near Abu Dhabi that will have zero carbon emissionsEmissions of greenhouse gases, greenhouse gas precursors, and aerosols associated with human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, land-use changes, livestock, fertilisation, etc. (IPCC). It is scheduled for completion in 2015 with a capacity to house up to 50,000 people.

At the same time it was decided that Bonn will host IRENA’s center of technology and innovation and that in Vienna the Agency’s liaison office for cooperation with other organisations active in the field of renewablesRenewable energy is power generated from infinite sources, such as wind or solar power. Conventional energy is generated from finite sources, such as natural gas or fossil oil. will be established.

In addition the candidate from France, Helene Pelosse, currently Deputy Head of Staff in the Private Office of the French Minister for Ecology, EnergyThe ability to perform work, mainly kinetic, potential, thermal energy, but also in forms of gravitational, sound, elastic and electromagnetic energy., Sustainable DevelopmentThe concept of sustainable development was introduced in the World Conservation Strategy (IUCN 1980) and had its roots in the concept of a sustainable society and in the management of renewable resources. Adopted by the WCED in 1987 and by the Rio Conference in 1992 as a process of change in ..., and Town and Country Planning in charge of international affairs, beating off challengers from Denmark, Greece and Spain.

Shortly before the meetings began, the United States and Japan as well as Australia signed on to IRENA . This raises the amount of IRENA member states to 136. “Our government’s participation is an important element of the administration’s effort to support clean energy technologies and the development of low carbon economies to address global climate changeClimate change is a lasting change in weather patterns over long periods of time. It can be a natural phenomena and and has occurred on Earth even before people inhabited it. Quite different is a current situation that is also referred to as climate change, anthropogenic climate change, or ...,” Clinton said in a statement (source: Reuters).

Map of IRENA's Signatory States (as of 29 June 2009)

At the meeting it was decided, that the 3rd Preparatory Commission Meeting will be held in Abu Dhabi in January 2010 and back to back with the World Energy Summit and chaired by the UAE. The UAE’s support for IRENA including all operation costs, a fully serviced headquarters, relocation costs and R&D funds worth a total of USD 136m for the first 6 years.  In addition Governments passed decisions on the budget outline of IRENA and being USD 6m in 2009 for building up the Secretariat and USD 17m in 2010. There was consensus that IRENA’s work programme should focus on capacity building, knowledge transfer and technology transferThe exchange of knowledge, hardware and associated software, money and goods among stakeholders that leads to the spreading of technology for adaptation or mitigation The term encompasses both diffusion of technologies and technological cooperation across and within countries. (IPCC). Many countries also called for formal partnerships between IRENA and existing organisations and networks already active in the field of renewables. A key message of the IRENA Preparatory Commission was that IRENA should ‘start small and grow big’.

And last but not least India announced that its Delhi International Renewable EnergyRenewable energy is power generated from infinite sources, such as wind or solar power. Conventional energy is generated from finite sources, such as natural gas or fossil oil. Conference (follow up to WIREC) will be held Delhi on 27-29 October 2010.