The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has said that it was committed to advocating for and deploying clean energy technologies in countries and communities where it work because of the impacts fossil fuel power generation has on the livelihood and health of communities.

Speaking at the 2016 celebration of the World Energy Day in Abuja, the Officer in Charge of UNIDO regional office in Nigeria, Chuma Ezedinma said the commitment to renewable energy solutions was part of UNIDO’s mandate protect the environment.

He said: “Today, UNIDO was requested to give a short remark on why clean energy matter. It matters a lot especially when one looks at the number of deaths associated with air pollution. It has been reported this year that about 6.5 million premature deaths attributed to air pollution.”

“According to the IEA, energy production and use are by far the largest man-made sources of air pollutants. As part of UNIDO’s thematic priority on safeguarding the environment, UNIDO promotes sustainable patterns of industrial consumption and production through cleaner technologies and processes in order to de-link the processes of economic growth and environmental degradation,” Ezedinma added.

He also stated: “Here in Nigeria, UNIDO supports the provision of clean energy through small hydro power development, bioenergy production and solar energy.

“While supporting the use of solar energy for productive uses, UNIDO provides technical assistance in the area of end of life safe recycling of solar panels, batteries and inverters.”