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IEA G8/G20 Programme - Aiming at a Clean, Clever and Competitive Energy Future

G20 

The leaders of the G20 - which includes the G8 - met in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA) on 24-25 September 2009. Their Leaders’ Declaration included several references to the IEA ("Energy Security and Climate Change" section). The G20 has tasked the IEA, working with other organisations, to continue its work on fossil fuel subsidies and to report to the next G20 summit. The declaration also asks the IEA (and OPEC) to ramp up efforts to assist with the improvement of domestic capabilities to collect energy data and improve energy demand and supply forecasting.

Following on from G20 Pittsburg Summit, G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors met in St. Andrews, Scotland, on 7 November. In paragraph 5 of their communiqué, Ministers call on the IEA, OPEC, OECD and World Bank to produce a joint report for our next meeting on energy subsidies, and working with our Energy Ministers, we will prepare at that meeting implementation strategies and timeframes, based on our national circumstances, for rationalising and phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption, and for providing targeted assistance programmes.

G8

Following up on its participation in G8 events during the past four years, the IEA was invited by the Italian G8 Presidency to take part in the G8 Environment Ministers meeting in April 2009, the G8 Energy Ministers meeting in May 2009 and the G8 Summit in July 2009. See the official Italian G8 web site: http://www.g8italia2009.it for more details.

Attending the G8 Energy Ministers meeting, in Rome from 24-25 May, the IEA presented its analysis on the impact of the financial crisis on global energy investments (read executive summary). The Agency also provided a background paper on climate policy (read report).

At the G8 Environment Ministers’ meeting in Siracusa on 22-24 April 2009, IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka presented a paper to the Ministers on the RD&D and investment needed to ensure that low-carbon technologies become viable, commercial technologies in the future.  The IEA presentation emphasised that low-carbon technologies must play a key role in climate change mitigation.  See Mr. Tanaka’s remarks, slide presentation and G8 paper.

The IEA G8 programme has identified new strategies for greater energy security and climate protection. IEA points to policies for speeding development and deployment of cleaner, more efficient energy technologies. The IEA has submitted a set of concrete policy recommendations for promoting energy efficiency that could reduce global CO2 emissions by 8.2 gigatonnes by 2030.

The IEA work focuses on: alternative energy scenarios and strategies; energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, transport and industry, including indicators; cleaner fossil fuels; carbon capture and storage; renewable energy; and enhanced international co-operation.

The IEA G8 programme was initiated following the G8 leaders’ request at their 2005 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland.

Access the IEA Press Release following the G8 L’Aquila Summit.

  

IEA input to the 2009 G8 Summit

IEA input to the 2008 G8 Summit
Publications, Papers and Factsheets   Workshops   Related Programmes
  • Implementing Energy Efficiency: are IEA Countries on Track?
  • Progress with Implementing Energy Efficiency Policies in the G8
  • Carbon Capture and Storage
  • Global Energy Efficiency Action Initiative
  • Launching an Energy Revolution in a time of Economic Crisis
  • OPEN Energy Technology Bulletin
    		•   
  • COP 15 / COP MOP 5
    (Copenhagen, Denmark: 7-18 December 2009)
  • Tracking the First 20 CCS Demonstrations - Global Peer Review
    (Bergen, Norway: 27 May 2009)
  • Expert Review of Industry Scenarios
    (IEA: 9-10 February 2009)
  • COP 14 / COP MOP 4
    (Poznan, Poland: 1-12 December 2008)
  • Enhancing International Technology Collaboration
    (Washington D.C., 12-13 November 2008)
    		•   
  • JODI Database
  • CHP/DHC Collaborative
  • Networks of Expertise in Energy Technology (NEET)
  • IEA Energy Technology Essentials
  • CO2 Capture and Storage
  • Technology Agreements
  • Energy Map Indicators
  • Renewable Energy
  • Energy efficiency
  • Technology
  • Transport
    • See all related publications, papers and factsheets   See all related workshops    
             
    Background Information   Press Releases and Speeches   Contact Information
  • Communiqué released at St. Petersburg
  • IEA’s G8 Gleneagles Programme in brief in Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
  • Gleneagles Communiqué and Plan of Action
  • Joint Declaration of the Heads of State and/or Government of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa participating in the G8 Gleneagles Summit
  • "Global Economy and Oil"
    G8 Summit Document, 2005
    		•    
  • G8 Contact
  • Energy Efficiency Contact
  • Energy Indicators Contact
  • NEET Contact
  • General Information Contact

  • Empowering Variable Renewables - Options for Flexible Electricity Systems
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    Alternative energy scenarios and strategies

    Modelling of scenarios shows how targeted policies and introduction of enhanced energy technologies can affect the economy, consumption of energy and CO2 emissions in countries around the world. How much can technologies and policies contribute to securing energy supplies and lower CO2 emissions? Which are the most promising? How long will it take? The G8 called upon the IEA to advise. Energy Technology Perspectives 2008 and World Energy Outlook 2008 form part of the IEA’s response. For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.

    In its annual World Energy Outlook,  the IEA presents an Alternative Policy Scenario to address energy security and environmental concerns. Based on the detailed analysis of over 1400 policies and measures covering all regions and countries of the world, the Alternative Policy Scenario offers practical guidance to decision makers about policy effectiveness as well as the energy, environmental and economic consequences of the policy options they are currently considering. For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.

    The Energy Technology Perspectives 2008 demonstrates how energy technologies can make a difference in global scenarios to 2050. It reviews in detail the status and prospects of key energy technologies. It assesses ways the world can enhance energy security and contain growth in CO2 emissions. While technology does hold great promise for the future, we must act now if we are to unlock the potential of technologies and reduce the impact of fossil fuel dependence on energy security and the environment. The second edition of this study contains technology roadmaps for all key energy sectors, including electricity generation, buildings, industry and transport.   Energy Technology Perspectives 2008 provides detailed technology and policy insights to help policy-makers craft sustainable solutions. For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.

    Energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, transport and industry including Indicators

    IEA analysis identifies best practice and indicates potential for efficiency improvements and appropriate policy approaches to realise that potential,  including a list of specific policy recommendations:

    • Construction of the world’s leading database on efficiency codes and standards for buildings, appliances and surface transport pinpoints lessons learned and best practice for varying situations and climates; and
    • For industry, an authoritative, comprehensive overview of existing and potential efficiency performance identifies areas where intensified efforts could add value in both industrialised and developing countries.

    Energy Indicators

    The IEA has developed a methodology for assessing how economic and technical driving factors, such as energy prices, GDP and new technologies, shape energy use and ultimately CO2 emissions. The methodology combines data on energy use with data describing activities that drive energy demand to form selected energy indicators for the different sectors of the economy. These indicators are now being applied as energy policy tools in the majority of IEA Member countries. The IEA’s work on energy indicators has resulted in several publications : Worldwide Trends in Energy Use and Efficiency 2008 | Energy Use in the New Millennium -- Trends in IEA Countries | Oil Crises & Climate Challenges: 30 years of Energy use in IEA countries and Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies. The IEA is working to expand the use of energy indicators to key non-member countries, especially China, India, Brazil, Russia, South Africa and Mexico. Promoting the use of common methodology for data collection and indicator development will ensure that IEA’s current indicator database can be updated to cover close to all OECD countries and important non member countries. For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.
               
    Cleaner fossil fuels

    Focusing on capacity building and provision of high quality information to all stakeholders, this task has broadened awareness of best practices. It has worked to support integration of clean coal technologies into planning processes for new power plants and the retrofit of existing plants in key non-IEA countries using coal for electricity generation. Read more...For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.
               
    Carbon capture and storage

    Notably by bringing together IEA experts and the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, this project has catalysed approaches towards incorporating technology for CO2 capture and storage into power plants. Read more...   For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.
               
    Renewable energy

    Continued development and commercialisation of renewable energy is promoted through IEA’s international collaborative R&D programmes (Implementing Agreements). A dedicated international group of experts from IEA and non-IEA countries is speeding development of common technical and policy approaches to integrating intermittent renewable energy into electricity grids.  For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.
               
    Enhanced international co-operation

    G8 leaders invited IEA to help activate dynamic worldwide networks for energy technology research and development. Building on its existing “Implementing Agreement” programmes, the IEA is linking with the international business community, with policy makers, researchers and other stakeholders in many countries. It is working to enhance awareness of existing research, development and deployment networks and to facilitate broader participation. For this purpose the IEA has created the NEET Initiative (Networks of Expertise in Energy Technology). As part of the dialogue, the NEET team has organised workshops and high-profile presence at major international events between mid-2006 and 2008. Read about the NEET Initiative. For more detail on IEA analysis and recommendations for the G8, click here.

    Read the OPEN Energy Technology Bulletin