Page 22 - IB JAN 2019

Energy

‘Cook Islands is well on its way of achieving its 100% renewable energy target by
2020.’- Henry Puna.

place on 11 to 13 January 2019 also saw the appointment of
Italian Government senior bureaucrat, Francesco La Camera as
its new Director-General. IRENA members voted overwhelmingly
for La Camera who contested the DG position against Columbia’s
former energy minister, German Arce.
La Camera will take office on 4 April 2019, succeeding Adnan
Z. Amin, who has been IRENA’s Director-General since 2011.
“Francesco La Camera currently serves as the Director General
for Sustainable Development, Energy and Climate at the Italian
Ministry of Environment, Land & Sea,” said a statement from
IRENA.
“La Camera led the EU and Italian negotiation teams at the
climate COP 20 in Lima and was the head of the Italian delegation
to the three previous COPs. He has represented Italy in many
international forums including at the EU, UNECE, UNCSD, UN
Environment, and the OECD.
“From 2003 to 2010 he was also Professor of Environmental
and Land Economics at the Faculty of Engineering of the Rome
Tre University. Mr. La Camera has a degree in political science
from the University of Messina.”
The Italian’s term as IRENA DG is four years.
His predecessor Adnan Amin of Kenya is stepping down af-
ter 8 years at the helm of the international agency. The IRENA
general assembly, following a motion from IRENA host – the
United Arab Emirates, confirmed the honorary title of Director-
General Emeritus on Amin.
“The draft decision, proposed by the United Arab Emirates,
recognises the leadership of Mr. Amin during the formative
years of the Agency. It further notes his contribution towards
establishing a sound institutional and administrative framework
for IRENA, thus enabling the Agency to successfully carry out
its mission of accelerating the deployment of renewable en-
ergy across the world, while remaining an agile and inclusive
organisation.”
r editor@islandsbusiness.com
* Pareti’s coverage of the 9th general assembly of IRENA was funded
by the the Abu-Dhabi based international agency.

22 Islands Business, January 2019