The Office of the Prime Minister of Norway

09/21/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/21/2022 10:54

Prime Minister Støre joins efforts to increase renewable energy in developing countries

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has agreed to join the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. The Alliance aims to provide more people in poor countries with access to electricity through the development of renewable energy solutions to replace fossil energy.

An increase in renewable energy will also help to create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance brings together multiple philanthropic organisations, individual experts, government agencies, and the key development stakeholders in the field of renewable energy.

Mr Støre will co-chair the Alliance's Global Leadership Council. This was announced during the UN General Assembly in New York.

'We must do more to scale up investments in renewable energy in developing countries. Access to energy is vital for health, education, and for job creation and growth through entrepreneurship. It is also essential if we are to reach our climate targets,' said Mr Støre.

The Alliance aims to create 150 million new jobs, avoid and avert 4 billion tonnes of carbon emissions and reach one billion people with reliable, renewable energy.

Financing from philanthropic organisations and development stakeholders will help to mobilise further investment from the private sector.

'Some 3.6 billion people worldwide are living in energy poverty but too little of the global investment in renewables reaches their countries. Developing countries are in need of a great deal more resources, and we must encourage more effective public-private partnerships if we are to succeed in implementing the green transition and reducing emissions,' said Mr Støre.