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WTO Public Symposium Panel sponsored by the United Nations Foundation

Thursday, April 21, 2005, 10h-13h00

World Trade Organization headquarters, Room W, Centre William Rappard, Rue de Lausanne 154, Geneva

Moderator:
Dr. Mohamed El-Ashry, Moderator (Read remarks) (Read bio)
Senior Fellow, United Nations Foundation
Former Chairman, CEO Global Environment Facilit

Panelists:
Dr. Mersie Ejigu, President and CEO (Read remarks) (Read bio)
Partnership for African Environmental Sustainability (PAES)

Melinda L. Kimble (Read remarks) (Read bio)
Senior Vice President for Programs
United Nations Foundation

Dr. Hermann Scheer (Read remarks) (Read bio)
Member of the German House of Parliament
General Chairman, the World Council for Renewable Energy

Ambassador Ira S. Shapiro, Of Counsel (Read remarks) (Read bio)
Global Trade Practice Group
Greenberg-Traurig LLP

Dr. Hari Sharan, Chairman and CEO (Read remarks) (Read Bio)
DESI Power Ltd., Bangalore, India


The current path of energy development and usage is incompatible with sustainable development. Renewable energy provides opportunities to create jobs and strengthen economic development while satisfying energy needs, particularly in rural and remote regions of developing countries. Biomass, hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal energies can address global climate change by reducing the production of gases contributing to the earth’s gradual warming.

Clean energy is one of the key factors to be addressed if countries are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Through free trade, developed and developing countries can more effectively access and utilize renewable energy resources. Part of the solution lies with removing market distortions that inhibit sustainable development. The Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol is one example of a flexible instrument that offers enormous trade opportunities by allowing developed countries to offset their greenhouse gas emissions by investing in clean energy technologies in developing countries.