International Organization Emphasizes the Vital Role Solar Will Continue to Play in Combating Climate Change

The Global Solar Council alone with SOLARUNITED congratulated COP21 delegates on the consensus reached at the Paris Climate Conference. At the conclusion of the Paris conference, representatives of 196 nations reached agreement on targets aimed at achieving emission reductions.

“The Paris agreement establishes a lasting framework that enables the world to focus on efforts to combat climate change,” said John Smirnow, Secretary-General of the Global Solar Council.  “It creates an enduring mechanism for tackling this pressing global challenge in meaningful ways. We’re at a tipping point on climate change – and solar energy has a critical role to play if we’re to realize the goal of limiting average global warming to below 1.5 degrees.”

“With the assistance of our visionary founding members, we’ll continue to focus our efforts on accelerating the deployment of clean, reliable, emissions-free solar energy worldwide.

Not only will this help us secure a safer and healthier planet, it will result in the creation of hundreds of thousands of new, high quality jobs as solar continues to be an engine of economic growth throughout the world.”

The Global Solar Council was established by the leading regional and national solar associations to unify the solar energy sector at an international level, share best practices and accelerate global market development and innovation. “Solar technology has become more affordable every year as its deployment accelerates. It is an increasingly mainstream resource that is ready to be a significant component in our global energy portfolio – especially as we work collectively to combat climate change,” added Smirnow.

The launch of the Global Solar Council marks a new era in the development of solar energy as it continues on its path to becoming the world’s largest source of electricity generation. The Global Solar Council strives to convey three key messages about solar power:

¥ Solar power is already one of the cheapest forms of electricity globally and prices continue to decline fast. The levelized cost of solar electricity is 80% lower than it was during COP15 in 2009. Solar provides a cost-effective means of fighting climate change today.

¥ Solar power is the most versatile form of electricity generation and can be deployed anywhere in the world for the people of developing and developed countries alike. It has great potential for poverty alleviation and rural electrification. Solar also has the highest share of popular support of any electricity technology.

¥ To avoid a greater than 1.5ºC increase in global temperatures, it is imperative to strongly accelerate the deployment of solar power. A 10% share of global power generation by 2030, from less than 1% today, is certainly possible given the right market conditions.

About the Global Solar Council

The Global Solar Council is an international organization founded in 2015 to coordinate the efforts of the world’s solar photovoltaic associations.  Its goal is to champion the rapid and wide-scale adoption of solar energy through cooperation, education, and training.

The founding members of the organization are national and regional solar associations from both established and emerging markets, including the world’s largest markets of Australia, China, Europe, India, Middle East, other Asian countries, South America and the United States.