Wind energy is the only technology that can deliver the deep reductions in CO2 emissions that are needed to avert the worst consequences of climate change, announced leaders of the global wind energy industry participating in today’s UN Leadership Forum on Climate Change. They addressed 100 heads of state and government on the need to embrace wind energy for combating climate change.
“I am here to remind our leaders that wind energy can go a long way in achieving the emissions cuts we need, right now. No other power technology can make that claim,” said Steve Sawyer, Secretary General of the Global Wind Energy Council. “The power sector is the single biggest source of CO2 emissions, so global decision makers have a responsibility towards the environment and towards humanity to make profound changes to the way we produce electricity.”
The wind industry has demonstrated that with the right support, the technology can save 10 billion tons of CO2 by 2020, and thus play a key role in reducing carbon emissions. Wind energy can be deployed virtually anywhere around the world, and unlike other ‘pie in the sky’ options in the electricity sector, the technology is proven and can be used on a large scale in the timeframe that has been identified as crucial: now.

“While many developing countries, including Brazil, India, China, are driving the energy revolution, some rich countries are falling way behind. We are urging them to take the lead again by committing to meaningful targets in Copenhagen, and by boosting the use of renewable energy,” said Steve Sawyer.

The UN Leadership Forum was convened by UN Secretary General Ban Ki‐Moon, with the aim to build positive political momentum towards the Climate Change Summit in December 2009 in Copenhagen.
The private sector has a strong interest in the outcome of the climate change negotiations and is increasingly calling for an effective global climate treaty. Leading infrastructure and energy generation companies such as Acciona and Siemens, which both have heavily invested in building up their wind energy business, were represented at the meeting, as was the CEO of Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer.

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