José Manuel Entrecanales named advisor to the United Nations and World Bank on “Sustainable Energy for All” initiative

ACCIONA Chairman & CEO José Manuel Entrecanales has been named an advisor to the joint United Nations and World Bank "Sustainable Energy for All" initiative. The Advisory Board held its first meeting in Washington on Friday 19 April at the headquarters of the World Bank. Mr Entrecanales' appointment is for a two-year term.

The Advisory Board includes distinguished global leaders in business, finance, Government and civil society.  The launch of the Advisory Board underscores the emphasis the World Bank and the United Nations place on achieving universal access to electricity by 2030.

Mr Entrecanales is one of only eight business leaders on the Advisory Board, and the only Spaniard. ACCIONA, a global leader in renewable energy, infrastructure and water services, has supported the "Sustainable Energy for All" initiative since its inception in 2011. The Advisory Board will seek to "unite the efforts of governments, the private sector and civil society to reach three objectives in 2030: universal access to modern energy services, a 40% improvement in energy efficiency and making renewables-based energy 30% of the global energy mix", according to a UN statement.

The Advisory Board will be co-chaired by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. The Board will also include representatives from institutions such as the World Health Organization, the African Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, ministers from Saudi Arabia, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, India, Iceland, South Africa, Sweden and the UK, a representative of the European Commission, members of civil society and business leaders.

The "Sustainable Energy for All" initiative seeks to provide a platform for businesses, investors, governments, foundations and civil society to share efforts in the pursuit of bringing sustainable energy to the estimated 1.2 billion people in the world who lack access to electricity

"Sustainable energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, social equity and a stable climate and healthy environment," the UN Secretary-General said.  "The Advisory Board has the top-flight expertise and experience needed to help us reach our goal of providing sustainable energy for all by 2030.  This initiative represents a new era of partnership with the World Bank.  Working together, I am confident we can help to transform the world's energy systems."

ACCIONA's commitment to sustainability is the driving force behind its three core businesses: renewable energy, social infrastructure and water services. The Company is in addition an active participant in international forums such as the UN Global Compact and the WBCSD. The Company forms part of leading sustainability indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), FTSE4Good, the Carbon Performance Leadership Index (CPLI) and the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI).