VIENNA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Participants at the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum, which kicked off Thursday, called for accelerated energy transition, green industrialization and climate resilience amid heightened global uncertainty and an ongoing energy crisis.
Gerd Mueller, director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said at the opening ceremony that rising prices for energy, fertilizers and food affect everyone, and it is developing countries that pay the highest price, just as they do when it comes to climate change.
"What we need now is stronger international cooperation and a new deal for investment and innovation in industry and clean energy in the Global South -- to turn the energy transition into a driver of prosperity, security and stability for all," Mueller noted.
The two-day event brought together leaders from governments, international organizations, the private sector, and financial institutions.
At the forum, Austria's Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said the volatility that the world is once again witnessing in supply and prices is a stark reminder that energy dependence comes at a cost, not least in terms of stability and security.
"We must accelerate the transition to sustainable, secure and affordable energy through stronger international cooperation," she underscored.
During a plenary session, China's special envoy for climate change Liu Zhenmin urged all parties to build broad consensus and support multilateral climate cooperation based on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.
Under the theme "Powering Prosperity, Security and Stability," the forum is organized by UNIDO, together with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria, the Austrian Development Agency and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. ■
