Spain assumes the vice-presidency of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency

The Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, in a meeting with climate communicators

Spain will hold the vice-presidency of the 16th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which will take place from 10 to 12 January at the organisation's headquarters in Masdar, Abu Dhabi, with a delegation headed by the Secretary of State for Energy, Joan Groizard. Spain will have a particularly active role in the Assembly and will assume funding for the 2026-2027 work programme of the Partnership for the Advancement of Renewable Energy in Latin America (PARLA), which will focus on strengthening capacities, development, and creating opportunities in infrastructure development, bioenergy, and social transformation through the energy transition.

This was announced today by the Vice-President of the Government and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen: "Spain will hold the Vice Presidency of IRENA during 2026 and will increase its contribution to this multilateral institution, which is committed to multilateralism and the promotion of renewable energy as a driver of opportunity, employment, and well-being, not only in the fight to reduce emissions, but also in ensuring universal access to energy".

The Vice-president also lamented the withdrawal of the world's largest economy from key forums on the environment, climate, water, and energy, such as the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the IPCC, and IRENA itself, and insisted that "Spain will remain steadfast in its commitment to multilateralism, global action, climate action, international cooperation, and, of course, the advancement of scientific knowledge".

The IRENA Assembly is the leading international forum for promoting renewable energy, an area in which Spain plays a prominent role due to the significant progress achieved-renewables covered 57% of electricity demand last year-and the corresponding increase in energy security and strategic autonomy provided by these technologies. During the meeting, Groizard will advocate for accelerating the energy transition as an essential response to the climate crisis and as an engine of economic growth and shared benefits.

Cooperation on renewables in Latin America

Latin America is one of the world's best-positioned regions for the energy transition, with abundant natural resources. However, analyses reveal the need to increase investments in renewables, which currently represent only 5% of the global total. Although renewables account for 60% of the region's electricity mix, traditional hydroelectric generation remains dominant.

To harness the region's renewable energy potential, IRENA, together with the Government of Brazil, is promoting PARLA with the aim of accelerating investments in cross-border and regional electricity infrastructure and serving as a platform for regional cooperation that speeds up the deployment and integration of renewables.

Spain, given its ties with Latin America and the need to strengthen the international commitment to combating the climate crisis, will fund PARLA's work during 2026 and 2027, contributing a minimum of $250,000 per year. This funding will, among other things, enable the organisation of regional forums to increase political support for the entity and define concrete programmes of activities.

Three regional needs identified

Three pillars of action have been identified for PARLA based on the needs expressed by IRENA member states and on the main challenges and opportunities of the energy transition highlighted by IRENA itself:

• Infrastructure. Key measures in the region include strengthening electricity grids, adapting critical infrastructure to climate change, and deploying advanced monitoring and control systems. Equally important is integrating resilience into energy planning.
• Sustainable bioenergy. The region is well-positioned to increase the production of biofuels, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (HVOs), which are key to zero-emission aviation and heavy transport. Stable legal and regulatory frameworks are crucial here, as are standards that support the long-term sustainable use of biofuels.
• Socio-economic transformation through the energy transition. The energy transition in Latin America presents a unique opportunity to stimulate inclusive socio-economic development.

Since 2015, investment in renewables in Latin America has grown by 25%, reaching $70 billion by 2025, while investment in fossil fuels has decreased by 20% to $90 billion. Spain firmly believes that PARLA will contribute to improving the implementation of clean technologies and consolidating this positive and sustainable trend.

Non official translation