WBA news

UNFCCC COP29 held in Baku, Azerbaijan during 11 – 22 November 24

At the recently concuded COP29 climate change conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan, WBA has been leading advocacy efforts for bioenergy solutions through various events as well as stakeholder engagement. Here’s a recap:

Official Side Event: Renewable Energy Transformation

On 16 November, the WBA together with partners World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) held the official Blue Zone side event on Renewable Energy Transformation: From tripling to 100% RE. The agreement of the parties at COP28 to triple RE capacity by 2030 has put renewable energy technologies as a mainstream solution. However, tripling is only one step which has to be followed by a Net Zero scenario, leading to a completely defossilized energy system. The speakers from WBA, WWEA and CII shared perspectives on the development of RE technologies including solar, wind, biomass, batteries etc. from industry perspectives.

Blue Zone Side Event on RE transformation: WBA, CII and WWEA

Global Biofuels Alliance Roundtable: Setting up common definitions for sustainable bifuels to accelerate biofuels adoption

Chaired by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), India, the Global Biofuels Alliance roundtable invited policmakers, industry leaders and end users to share perspectives on biofuels development. Participants supported the need for standard definitions which include all feedstock and technology pathways. WBA Director Bharadwaj Kummamuru shared perspectives from biofuels industry on the need for harmonization, supported the role of GBA and expressed willingness of WBA to engage with GBA in strengthening the role of biofuels. 

Global Biofuels Alliance Roundtable Discussion on Common definitions for biofuels

South South Cooperation for Climate Change, China Pavilion

Hosted at the China Pavilion, the South South Cooperation for Climate Change was a full day event where speakers from industry, governments, multilateral agencies and civil society shared perspectives on cooperation among the Global South. WBA Director participated in a session on Clean Cooking and presented the concept of Green Cooking. The project has seen great progress in engaging industry stakeholders in the global south – mainly India, China and Sub Saharan Africa – in promoting clean fuels and cookstoves.

Intervention at Clean Cooking Session at South South Cooperation on Climate Change, China Pavilion

Bilateral Meetings
Apart from official events, there were various bilateral engagements with stakeholders including Montreal International, African Carbon Markets Initiatives, Centre for Creativity and Sustainability Study and Consultancy (Vietnam), Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (Brazil) etc.

 WBA Director at COP29, Baku (left) and WBA Director with Aikawa Takanobu (right)

WBA Member (Ecosafi) at a session on clean cooking organized by NEFCO in Baku

WBA at the IEA session on Making 2024 the Pivotal year for clean cooking, COP29, Baku