From pv magazine Global
The United States is withdrawing its membership from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
IRENA is one of 66 international organizations President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to withdraw from via an executive order last week. The full list, focused predominantly on organizations working on climate, labor and migration, also includes the International Solar Alliance and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
A statement published by the U.S. Department of State said the Trump Administration found these institutions “to be redundant in their scope, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, poorly run, captured by the interests of actors advancing their own agendas contrary to our own, or a threat to our nation’s sovereignty, freedoms, and general prosperity”.
A memorandum of understanding signed by Trump adds that for any entities affiliated with the United Nations, such as IRENA, withdrawal means ceasing participation in or funding to the extent permitted by law.
IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera, released a statement saying he regrets the U.S.’s decision to withdraw its membership while adding that the door for continued cooperation remains open.
“We recognise the valuable contributions the United States has made to the work of IRENA and its 171 Members over the years and hope to see renewed engagement in the future,” La Camera said.
La Camera also emphasized that renewables are not only a climate solution, but also a decisive factor in the competitiveness of economies and essential in today’s uncertain environment to ensure energy security and strengthen geopolitical positions.
“International collaboration is more critical than ever, and IRENA remains committed to supporting countries and businesses in their efforts to accelerate the global energy transition and deliver the socioeconomic, environmental, and security benefits of renewable energy to power their development,” he added.
In December, the U.S. Department of Energy renamed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory the National Laboratory of the Rockies, a move it said aligned the institute’s mandate with the Trump administration’s applied energy priorities.
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