Maldives announces initiative for renewable island energy

Maldives has announced international initiative to promote renewable energy in small island nations.

The Initiatives for Renewable Island Energy (IRIE) was announced by Maldives in its capacity as Chair of Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), in the sidelines of the UN climate talks in Marrakesh, Morocco, which ended on Friday.

The announcement was made by Minister of Environment and Energy of Maldives, Toriq Ibrahim.

The purpose of IRIE is to promote use of renewable energy sources in small island nations, facilitate finance and develop human resources needed to use renewable energy sources, and eliminate legal barriers.

It’s also designed to increase political involvement of small island nations in energy economics.

Minister Toriq said the initiative would be carried out in collaboration with International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA).

Information collection and identification of barriers to the IRIE will start in 2017. Various multi-level meetings have also been scheduled to plan the initiative.