The Energy Charter Secretariat has published the report entitled "The Road to an Energy Efficient Future" which was submitted to the "Environment for Europe" Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) in Kiev on 21-23 May.
Compiled with the financial support of the governments of Denmark and Finland, the report gives a comprehensive overview of progress made in improving energy efficiency by UN-ECE and PEEREA participating states since the last "Environment for Europe" Ministerial in Århus, Denmark in 1998. Energy efficiency is assessed in the report from the angle of its contribution to addressing climate change, increasing the security of supply, and supporting restructuring in transition economies.
In particular, the report assesses the changing environment in which governments are now required to pursue energy efficiency objectives, within the context of energy market liberalisation in many parts of the UN-ECE constituency, and draws some conclusions as to priority sectors of the economy that should be focused on in terms of energy efficiency gains. The role of the Energy Charter Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects (PEEREA) as a vehicle for sharing best practice recommendations and advice on energy efficiency policies among governments in the Eurasian area is underlined, and was also explicitly recognised in the Statement on Energy Efficiency adopted by the Kiev Ministerial Conference.
The publication "The Road towards an Energy Efficient Future" is available in English and Russian.