In the seventies, the question of the exhaustion
of fossil energy sources became, for the
first time, a subject of worldwide discussion.
Even if the forecasts made at that time have not
been confirmed, we are nevertheless, due to the
t h reatening temperature increase of the climate,
confronted with a tremendous new challenge in
our energy policies. The world energy supply
should rely increasingly on renewable energies
which will not release additional carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere. The 21st century should
become the era of renewable energ i e s .
The energy supply of Austria relies on a balanced
energy mix and is characterized by the
g reat importance given to renewable energ y
sources. Due to our wealth of hydropower and
forests, roughly one quarter of the total energ y
demand is covered by renewable energies, and
even better figures appear in the electricity supply.
In Austria, the contribution of hydropower
to the electricity production re p resents 70 %. At
the level of the European Union, only 14% of
the electricity comes from renewables .
The sustained exploitation of renewable energ y
s o u rces in the future, besides the measures for
m o re efficient energy use and the rejection of
the use of nuclear energy, constitutes a capital
point of the Austrian energy policy. Whereas the
estimates on the development prospects of
renewable energies diverge, in the interests of
sustainable development they must
become a fundamental pillar
of the energy supply. It is with this in mind that I have gladly accepted the invitation to cooperate in the World Solar Commission.

Senegal