Statement of United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth on President Obama’s State of the Union Address
Washington, D.C. (January 25, 2012) – In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama highlighted the importance of increased investment in renewable energy and greater energy efficiency. Prioritizing sustainable energy will position the United States and its partners for a stronger economic future, and will help advance global sustainable energy goals.
“United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon outlined the global vision earlier this month in a New York Times Op-Ed on his Sustainable Energy for All initiative. He set his sights on 2030, challenging governments, corporations, and people everywhere to create ‘a world with universal energy access coupled with significantly improved rates of energy efficiency and a doubling of renewable energy in our mix of fuel source.’ In order to accomplish this vision, Ban wrote, ‘We need to raise sustainable energy to the top of the global agenda and focus our attention, ingenuity, resources, and investments to make it a reality.’
President Obama’s remarks last night in his address to the nation once again demonstrated the close alignment of U.S. policy goals and the UN’s leadership in the international community. That’s why I am proud to serve as a member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Group on Sustainable Energy for All. This topic will be a major focus of the Rio+20 summit in June – the UN Conference on Sustainable Development – and today the Secretary-General reiterated his commitment to sustainable development as the top priority of his second five-year term, which began this month. Both the President and Secretary-General remind us that now is the time to take on the issue of sustainable energy, with policies and investments that build a better, more secure future for everyone.”
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