UNEP Governing Council

24 – February 7 - 9, 2006

Sigríður Anna Þórðardóttir, Minister for the Environment, Iceland

Energy

Mr. Chairman,

By international comparision energy use in Iceland is in a class by itself. The share of domestic energy sources, which are geothermal energy and hydropower, has grown significantly in recent decades and amounts to over 70% of the total energy consumption. Imported fossil fuel is used primarily for mobile sources.

Iceland has a long-standing commitment to international cooperation on the harnessing of sustainable energy. The Geothermal Training Programme of the UN University is based in Iceland. The Programme has proved to be a valuable tool for the sharing of technological expertise and experiences with developing countries that have access to geothermal energy sources.

Geothermal energy is a potential source in many quarters of the world. Preliminary assessments indicate that geothermal energy based on present geothermal technology could provide adequate energy to up to six hundred million people in the world today. The key here is to promote and facilitate access to technology for harnessing geothermal energy.

Two years ago the Icelandic International Development Agency decided to extend its development aid programme to include geothermal energy.

At the moment Iceland is working with the government of Uganda exploring the possibilities of harnessing geothermal energy in 2-3 geothermal zones in Uganda, which are regarded as quite promising. Furthermore geothermal support based on technical expertise and capacity building are under preparation in Nicaragua. Additionally the Icelandic private sector is working on geothermal projects with local authorities in China, Slovacia, Kenya and California.

Iceland is committed to further expanding renewable energy use towards the ultimate goal of establishing a national non fossil fuel based economy. As a part of that effort, Iceland will continue to be a platform for demonstration, research and development for possible commercial applications of hydrogen.

Mr. Chairman,

Iceland has high expectations of CSD 14 and 15. Energy issues are moving up the international agenda and must be resolved in context with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The UN´s Millennium Ecosystem Assessment establishes a connection between the MDGs and the need to address the threat to the earth´s climate with concrete actions.

We need to change our ways of harnessing and using energy at the same time as providing access to energy services for those that are deprived of adequate energy.

Promoting technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency are the most effective means of abating climate change.

Full use should be made of the opportunities offered by CSD 14/15 to present opportunities for making the energy sector more sustainable. One way of progressing towards that goal is to promote the access to geothermal energy.

At CSD 14 Iceland plans to offer a side event on geothermal energy as well as a learning center on the use of hydrogen as a flexible energy carrier which could become one of the alternatives for extended use of renewable energy resources.