Renewable energy key to economic development

UN officials are urging governments and industry to invest in renewable and other forms of clean energy.

The call came during a special dialogue on energy, and a day after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched an advisory group on energy and climate change.

Mr. Ban pointed out that more and more industries and government are seeing the opportunities in a "green economy" and are investing in renewable energy technologies. Such investment could help alleviate poverty and empower billions of people whose development is held back by a lack of electricity, for example. But, the Secretary-General stressed, it must be made more widely available:

"One obstacle is limited access to finance. This includes villagers, and it includes larger businesses. Renewable energy often involves considerable capital outlay, but once it is functioning its costs are little. Unlike coal-fired power stations, wind farms and solar installations need no fuel. Geothermal energy comes from the ground. Biomass energy often comes fro agricultural waste."

Mr. Ban said the climate change conference to be held in Copenhagen in December could create momentum for the "green economy".