IRENA Handbook on Renewable Energy Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs)
Two years after the first edition of this handbook was released, the importance of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) as a promising instrument for reducing carbon emissions continues to increase. Scientific evidence of climate change and the serious threat it poses continues to mount. Countries around the world are making serious efforts to respond to this threat, while at the same time addressing pressing development challenges, such as expanding access to energy.
Against the backdrop of rising demand for sustainable energy solutions, there is a growing convergence around the role that renewable energy deployment can play in addressing climate change, while providing access to affordable energy. Declining technology costs, improving performance, better financing frameworks and a deeper understanding of the wider socio-economic benefits of renewable energy are spurring increased deployment, accompanied by an ever-growing landscape of supportive policies.
While such trends are encouraging, barriers remain at the national, regional and international levels. To overcome these, countries need to explore and use all possible means, including NAMAs. These instruments provide an innovative framework through which countries can reconcile potentially competing objectives, namely development and greenhouse gas mitigation.
This second edition of IRENA’s handbook demonstrates that NAMAs are gaining momentum. New country case studies have been added, providing examples from Chile, Mexico and Tunisia that illustrate experiences over the past two years. By facilitating the removal of barriers to deployment, NAMAs help establish processes that promote renewable energy for electricity generation in developing countries by facilitating implementation, enhancing transparency and engaging all stakeholders.