Ireland to host IEA 2019 global conference on energy efficiency

Ireland will host the International Energy Agency’s fourth annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency, which will take place in Dublin this year on 24 June. 

The IEA’s annual conference draws a large international audience and brings together Ministers, CEOs, heads of international organisations and other senior leaders to advance global progress on energy efficiency.

The event will begin with an address by Taoiseach Mr Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland. Ireland is a founding member of the IEA and has a strong record of performance on energy efficiency. The announcement follows a meeting between Dr Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the IEA, and the Taoiseach at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The conference theme this year is Modernising Energy Efficiency through Digitalisation, with a focus on the next generation of efficiency policies using digital technologies and data analytics. The event will also feature senior representatives from major technology companies to outline how innovative technologies can enhance global energy efficiency.

“Energy efficiency is the first fuel in a global sustainable energy system, and digital technologies can help boost efficiency gains across a range of economic sectors”, Dr Birol said. “Holding our annual conference in Ireland will be an excellent opportunity to shine a spotlight on this critical topic together with leaders from across the globe.” 

Energy efficiency is a key focus area for the IEA, which conducts a range of activities on energy efficiency including in-depth analysis, best practice sharing with governments across the globe and capacity building with policy makers in emerging economies. The IEA also provides extensive online resources on efficiency, analysis and data.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said “Energy efficiency is an essential element of our response to the challenges posed by climate change. By making our homes, businesses and communities more energy efficient, we can reduce our carbon footprint and make a positive contribution to future generations. I am pleased that the IEA is holding its global conference in Dublin this summer. Ireland has a strong record on energy efficiency and I look forward to discussing how we can take a leading role on this area in the years ahead.”

Recent analysis by the IEA shows that, despite solid gains made since the turn of the century, and extensive evidence on the multiple benefits using energy more rationally, progress on energy efficiency has slowed in recent years.

Some countries have made important progress and innovations, but governments generally are not introducing enough new efficiency policies. In addition, global investments are still far below what is required to achieve the full potential of energy efficiency. The conference will provide an important occasion for key international stakeholders to take stock of progress on efficiency, and to commit to renewed action.