DUSHANBE, January 3, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- In the letter dated December 19 2008 addressed the President of the UN General Assembly (GA), Permanent Representatives of Australia, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Denmark, El Salvador, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Namibia, the Philippines, Poland, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations requested the convening at the sixty-third session of the General Assembly of a thematic debate on energy efficiency, energy conservation, and new and renewable sources of energy, according to the UN News Center.

The letter, in particular, said that energy efficiency, energy conservation, and new and renewable sources of energy play a key role in achievement of the Millennium Development Goals as well as in solving the climate change problem.  “As the chief deliberative, policymaking and coordinating body of the United Nations, the General Assembly is best positioned to raise awareness, share best experience and contribute to the international discussions on the promotion of sound and sustainable energy practices.”

According to the Permanent Representatives, the thematic debate would focus on energy efficiency, energy conservation, and new and renewable energy, in particular on ways to unlock the full potential for the development, deployment and transfer of related technologies and ways to foster international cooperation and partnerships in this area.