Thank you.
Dr. Arvizu, director of this NREL, Dr. Shell, executive director of Department of Energy,
distinguished scientists.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's a great pleasure for me to visit this National Renewable Energy
Laboratory.
I know that this is the only national laboratory working on renewable energy.
I'm here to learn more about how we can work together, how United Nations and national
government and business communities and academic research communities can work together to
realize these sustainable energy for all reality.
As you know United Nations has taken this as highest priority at this time, and thus
the General Assembly has declared next year as the international year for sustainable
energy for all.
This is very significant.
So let us work together.
I have been traveling during last five years many places where I could learn and I could
see more about all the challenges which we are facing, particularly on addressing climate
change.
I have visited both poles, and I have visited Lake Chad, I have visited the Aral Sea, I
have seen this Kilimanjaro, and I have been in Brazil rainforest, Brazil Amazon Basin.
You name it, any places where we can learn the negative consequences of climate change.
Now this may not look like such a terrible place; this is a very nice compound, a beautiful
building.
I know that this is most energy efficient, almost energy general building and I highly
commend your work.
I'd like to thank, at this time, to many scholars who have contributed to the special report
on intergovernmental panel on climate change, IPCC.
I know that Dr. Arvizu is working very closely with Dr. Pachawi, who is our very distinguished
collaborator, partner in working together.
Now then why energy, sustainable energy at this time, particularly renewable energy?
After all, we have limited resources and we have almost three billion people around the
world who are not having access to energy.
To be more exact, at least 1.4 billion people do not have access at all to electricity.
The rest of the 1.6 billion people, they do not have access to energy.
When we address global health issues, when we address job creation, when we address women
empowerment, when we address climate change, food security, water scarcity issues I think
energy is a cross-country issue.
Sustainable energy is cutting across nearly every major challenges humanity faces today
and in the future if we do not work together, if we do not realize that this initiative
for sustainable energy for all realized by 2030.
My advisory group on climate change and energy has recommended and we have adopted this strategy
-- three strategies: first of all, realize universal access to energy by 2030, and double
energy efficiency by 2030, and double this energy, renewable energy share in the global
energy mix.
We have only 16% of renewable energy as a mix, as an element of our energy universal
access.
We have to double this at least.
This may cost money.
But according to International Energy Agency report it will cost only 3% of global energy
investment.
Therefore it is possible if there is a political will -- and I think you should speak out,
this community, academic research, research community -- you should speak out to government
leaders.
We have distinguished representative of the Department of Energy, Secretary Chu and President
Obama, he should take political priority, policy priority in making this energy as number
one priority.
United Nations will stand forefront, and I hope you'll be in the vanguard in working
together with the United Nations.
And that is why I'm here.
I'd like to get more visions and more realistic agendas, for when you speak and you research,
try to be bold and big, try to think big and bold in a realistic way -- and United Nations
will fully support your work and this is what -- and I wanted to hear from you and I'm very
much interested in listening and learning more from you.
Thank you very
much for
this opportunity.
Thank you.