２５４：今日のニュースから

南部アフリカの乾季にも慣れ、朝の快晴も気持ちいい。

今日のニュースから２件。

１．国際再生可能エネルギー機構設立

水とエネルギーは一体だが、いよいよ再生可能エネルギーも国際的な機構が生まれた。日本も加盟するらしい。こういった国際的な機関はIAEAもあるが複数参加はいいことである。エネルギーもいよいよ多様化を本気で考える時代に突入であろうか。IAEAはやはり原子力の最適利用を第１に考えているので他の電力源は補助的だとする傾向はあった。しかし、昔からWASPなど電力施設計画には大きく貢献してきたと思う。IRNAの動向はこれからフォローすることとなる。下記にサマリー的な情報を添付。

About IRENA

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) was officially established in Bonn on 26 January 2009. Up-to-date, 100 States have signed the Statute of the Agency, amongst them 38 African, 31 European, 25 Asian and 10 Latin-American countries.

Mandated by these governments worldwide, IRENA aspires to become the main driving force for promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale. As the global voice for renewable energies, IRENA envisages providing practical advice and support for both industrialised and developing countries, thereby helping to improve frameworks and build capacity. Moreover, the Agency intends to facilitate access to all relevant information, including reliable data on the potentials for renewable energy, best practices, effective financial mechanisms, and state-of-the-art technological expertise.

With the establishment of the Preparatory Commission, the Agency began work the day after the Founding Conference on 27 January 2009. The Preparatory Commission consists of IRENA’s Signatory States and acts as the interim body during the founding period. The Commission will be dissolved after entry into force of the Statute, which will occur upon the 25th deposit of an instrument of ratification. The Agency will then consist of an Assembly, a Council, and a Secretariat.

Background

Energy is a basic human need – indeed, it makes the world go round by increasing rates of productivity. Without energy, everything would come to a standstill. A necessary factor in fostering human development and economic growth is a secure, affordable, reliable, clean, and sustainable energy supply. Today we face monumental challenges: global warming, the waning of natural resources, explosions in population growth, increasing energy demand, rising energy prices, and unequal distribution of energy sources. All of these factors contribute to the urgent need to transform the energy sector - which primarily relies on fossil fuels - to one that uses renewable energies and energy efficient measures.

Renewable energy is one of the key solutions to the current challenges facing the world’s energy future. Many countries already foster the production and use of renewable energy through different approaches on a political and economic level because they recognise the many benefits renewable energy provides. The current use of renewable energy, however, is still limited in spite of its vast potential. The obstacles are manifold and include: lengthy permitting procedures, import tariffs and technical barriers, insecure financing of renewable energy projects, and insufficient awareness of the opportunities for renewable energy.

This is where IRENA comes in. A major task of the Agency is to develop comprehensive solutions to the above-mentioned challenges, such as fostering all types of renewable energy, and to consider various renewable energy policies at the local, regional, and national levels. In fulfilling its work, IRENA considers specific environmental, economic, and socio-cultural conditions of its Members. The active involvement of stakeholders from the energy industry, academia, civil society, and other institutions is very important for the Agency to implement successful and enduring policy solutions. Therefore, it intends to regularly consult and cooperate with organisations and networks already engaged in the field of renewable energy in order to complement and pool their work resources, thus creating added value.

２．国家的情報収集分析機関設立の必要性

NATOの公開情報を価格の１０倍で海自が商社から購入というニュースにはびっくり。中々情報収集分析に人員がいないのであろうが、公開情報程度は商社を使わなくても得たいものである。

それにしてもIT情報時代に対応する国家的な情報機関がないのが不思議である。情報収集分析は実際非常に地味なもので忍耐力と持続性・専門性が必要だ。小説のスパイ活動は寧ろ少ない。

そうした機関ができれば直ぐにでも転職したいぐらいである。

３．イラン情勢

中々収まりがつかない。今はBBC、PressTV、アルジャジーラの３局を見ている。立ち位置の違いが鮮明。日本のニュースは常に遅れを取っているが仕方のないことか。アルジャジーラも結構やるじゃないというのが感想。Twitterは市民ジャーナリストだし、膨大すぎて信ぴょう性も乏しいし当てにならない。砂金探しだ。ただ全体的な雰囲気は伝わってくる。発散し過ぎて収束的なものがない。

４．中大・京教大事件

中大事件は全く聞こえてこない。弁護士はいないのかいるのか不思議である。反対に京教大事件では弁護士のコメントが出てきた。ジャーナリズムの悲しさで次から次へと出てくるニュースに右往左往するしかない。進展がなければそれっきり。中々難しい問題である。