| GBEP recognised as key forum for bioenergy priorities
The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) brought together key speakers from the public and private sector for a panel discussion on sustainable bioenergy development during the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008), where it was recognised as a key forum for working on bioenergy priorities.
The event – “Bioenergy and sustainable development: opportunities and challenges” – was held on 5 March in Washington DC and was supported by the Italian Ministry for the Environment Land and Sea and the Italian Trade Commission of New York. The discussion, introduced by Corrado Clini, Director General of the Italian Ministry for the Environment and GBEP Chairman, was opened by Paula Dobriansky, US Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs.
During the GBEP event and in general during WIREC 2008, it emerged that the US is working hard to ensure the sustainable development of bioenergy and that it is committed to the elimination of tariff barriers that are currently holding back the free trade of clean technologies. Under Secretary Dobriansky confirmed the US’s commitment to GBEP.
Speakers at the GBEP event also included Melinda Kimble, Senior Vice President of the United Nations Foundation; Jaime Himede, Mozambique’s Vice Minister of Energy; Kieran Power, head of branch at the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Uwe R. Fritsche from Germany’s Oeko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology); and Simonetta Zarrilli, legal officer from UNCTAD.
Private-sector perspectives were provided by Philip New, President of BP Biofuels, John Ranieri, Vice President of DuPont Applied BioSciences, Guido Ghisolfi, Vice President of M&G Group, and Marco Manchisi, of Marcegaglia Group.
“Biofuels could play a key role to respond to the increasing global energy demand and to reduce greenhouse gases threatening the global climate system, facilitating the development of the poorest areas of the world at the same time,” stated GBEP Chairman Clini. “Sustainability and an international set of standards for biomass are crucial and in this respect the Global Bioenergy Partnership is being recognised as the key forum in which to discuss these priorities and to work towards a global agreement.”
Download the presentations from the side event.
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