IEA Welcomes G8 Action Plan on Climate Change

“The IEA is honoured to have been asked by the G8 to help deliver their Plan of Action on climate change, clean energy, and sustainable development”, said Claude Mandil, IEA Executive Director, on his return from Gleneagles. “We are ready to contribute, with the help of our experience and knowledge of energy technologies and policies and our strong international network. The potential of the Action Plan is immense, and it is fully consistent with our mission to promote energy security, economic growth and a cleaner energy future through energy efficiency and technology cooperation. We welcome this unprecedented opportunity of working with the G8 and with major developing countries”, added Mandil.

The G8 has invited the Agency to join this global effort and contribute through an extensive programme of analysis, assessment, and dissemination to promote the energy efficiency of buildings, appliances, vehicles and industry as well as clean coal and other fossil power technology, carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, hydrogen, and international energy R&D. The details are contained in the Plan of Action.

International energy policy issues are central to the issue of global warming because 80% of CO2 emissions result from energy production or consumption. Countries represented at the G8 summit together account for almost 70% of global CO2 emissions (G8, India, China, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa).

The IEA is recognised as an international authority on global energy data, analysis, and policy. It acts as energy advisor for its 26 member countries and promotes rational energy policies globally through extensive co-operation with other countries, industry, and international organisations.

The Agency is widely known for its World Energy Outlook, which analyses the prospects for global energy markets to 2030. The current edition includes an “Alternative Scenario” which demonstrates how stronger policies, mainly for energy efficiency, renewables, clean coal and nuclear, could make a big difference to carbon emissions. The Agency conducts an extensive programme of energy research, data compilation, publications and public dissemination of the latest energy policy analysis and recommendations on good practices.

Forty countries take part in the Agency’s international energy technology network. Interested countries as well as non-government organisations, including business, are encouraged to participate.

Climate change is high on the agenda of the Agency. At their most recent meeting, in May 2005, IEA Ministers asked the Agency to focus its work on a number of key areas. They included the pursuit of energy efficiency, particularly in the transport and building sectors, and research and development of cleaner combustion technologies and carbon dioxide capture and storage.

Ministers also asked the Agency to, “help to develop strategies aiming at a clean, clever and competitive energy future in order to bridge the gap between what is happening and what needs to be done”.

The G8 proposals reinforce the messages of our Ministers and will give added impetus to the delivery of our mission. The Agency will now put forward a detailed programme of work for the implementation of its role in the G8 Plan of Action for consideration by its 26 member countries.

For G8 related background information please look at the IEA Press Room on http://www.iea.org/journalists