In September this year, the United Nations in New York will host the High-level Dialogue on Energy. The Dialogue is the first comprehensive global gathering on the topic of energy under the auspices of the General Assembly since the UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy held in Nairobi in 1981. It will provide an important opportunity to drive forward measures to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and implement the Paris climate agreement.

Promoting the global energy transition

In preparation for the conference in September, the UN Secretariat has selected countries to assume responsibility for specific themes (so-called Global Champions). Their task is to raise awareness of the challenges among the member states and encourage their engagement. As a Global Champion for the theme of energy transition, Germany intends to drive forward the global shift towards renewable energy. Within the context of the Dialogue, the aim is to consider how industrialised nations, emerging economies and developing countries can implement a sustainable energy and climate transition while maintaining their global competitiveness in relation to economies based primarily on fossil fuels.

As a Global Champion, Germany intends to work to promote the vision of an energy system founded on 100% access according to need, 100% renewable power generation and 100% decarbonisation of the energy sector in developing countries and emerging economies. In this context, Germany will also promote a green recovery which is designed to help overcome the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while promoting climate-neutral and climate-resilient development through low-carbon energy solutions, flanked by political and fiscal reforms.

International cooperation to promote renewable energies

Germany intends to set a good example in this area: With the Climate Action Plan 2050, the Federal Government has adopted a long-term plan for a low-carbon economy. The goal is to become largely greenhouse gas neutral by 2050, to generate 65% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and to gradually phase out coal-fired power generation by 2038 at the latest.

In addition, Germany is already a key partner for many countries and a leading light on the international stage in areas such as wind energy, system integration and efficiency technologies. Germany, in close collaboration with the EU, sees particularly great potential for the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris climate agreement in its cooperation with Africa. The African continent has almost unlimited potential for a climate neutral energy supply.