On Friday, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz made the following statement regarding Dr. Fatih Birol’s confirmation to be the next Executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA):

“As the new Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Dr. Fatih Birol is an ideal candidate to lead the Agency in a time of global energy transformation. His deep knowledge of energy markets, global energy forecasts, and climate change mitigation and adaptation challenges have made him an internationally known leader in the energy field. I spoke with Fatih and both congratulated him and thanked him for taking on this important responsibility.

There are strong links between energy security and climate change. As the United States takes bold action at home to move towards a low-carbon economy and seeks to partner with others in this historic shift in the energy system, we will work with Fatih to advance common interests. This will include collaborating on the 2015 IEA Energy Ministerial, which will be chaired by the United States and will include an emphasis on clean energy technology solutions to energy security and climate change challenges.

I also take this opportunity to thank Maria van der Hoeven for her successful leadership of the IEA. Under her guidance, the IEA has continued to grow in stature as an indispensable part of the global energy security and climate discussions.”