International Energy Statistics Meeting

News

Twenty-four major regional and international organisations, either collecting or using energy statistics, convened in Paris at the International Energy Statistics (InterEnerStat) meeting hosted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on 22-23 November 2005.

The objective of the meeting was twofold: to share experience and to explore avenues of further co-operation.

The organisations shared positive experiences and challenges encountered in the development and maintenance of strong and reliable energy statistics. Although there was broad acknowledgement of improvements in the quality of energy statistics over the past five years, participants identified a number of concerns that must be addressed in order to consolidate these gains.

Concerns and problems include low awareness and commitment to the statistical function at the political level, insufficient resources and expertise as well as the need for more harmonisation and co-operation. Moreover, new challenges await the energy statistics community, such as market liberalisation and globalisation, the monitoring of energy efficiency, the impact of bio-energy production, trade and use, the penetration of renewables, as well as the monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions. The requirement for more detailed energy statistics is coupled with a push for increased timeliness and reliability of these energy statistics.

The organisations discussed potential areas for future cooperation and harmonisation in order to improve the quality of energy data. Actions need to be taken to sustain and improve the quality of energy statistics in the future.

Building on successful cooperation and harmonisation initiatives, such as the recent launch of the JODI World Database, participants agreed to:

  • seek stronger political will and commitment to increase quality of energy reporting;
  • strengthen the exchange of information and expertise;
  • emphasise capacity building and training;
  • further harmonise methodologies, terminologies and definitions; and
  • meet at regular intervals on a rotational basis to review progress.

As a response to a call from the 2005 United Nations Statistical Commission, two new working groups – the Oslo Group and the Inter-secretariat Working Group on Energy Statistics – will explore ways and means of further improving energy statistics, respectively at country and international levels.

Regional and international organisations are committed to undertake these actions to meet the challenges faced by energy statistics. However, all parties from energy industries to country administrations have also to match the commitment of the organisations with similar dedication and with the proper resources.

Participating Organisations :
African Energy Commission (AFREC), Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), African Petroleum Producers Association (APPA), EURELECTRIC, Eurogas, European Commission – Eurostat, European Environment Agency (EEA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Energy Agency (IEA), International Energy Forum Secretariat (IEFS), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Latin American Energy Organisation (OLADE), Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), World Bank (WB), World Energy Council (WEC), World Coal Institute (WCI).