In an interview with EurActiv, International Energy Agency executive director Nobuo Tanaka today called on governments worldwide to embrace a “clean energy new deal.”

Tanaka is in Brussels for the European Business Summit.

Speaking to EurActiv, Tanaka said it’s critical that governments seeking a way out of the current economic downturn not cut back on clean-energy and climate investments. While restricted credit, tightened wallets and lower fossil-fuel prices make oil and coal seem more appealing at the moment, a focus on traditional sources could lock the world into dirty energy for decades to come, he said.

The IEA is among the organisations that recently launched a “50 by 50″ Global Fuel Economy Initiative aimed at reducing oil consumption by six billion barrels a year and cutting annual carbon emissions by 2 gigatonnes.

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