COMMITTEE HEARS CALL FOR GLOBAL ENERGY CONFERENCE IN 2001

16 February 1996

Press Release
EN/235

COMMITTEE HEARS CALL FOR GLOBAL ENERGY CONFERENCE IN 2001

19960216 The United Nations should consider convening in 2001 a major global conference on energy, the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development was told this morning, as it considered activities in the United Nations system.

The theme of such a conference, 20 years after the Nairobi United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy, might be energy for the twenty-first century or energy for sustainable development, said E.V.R. Sastry, expert from India and Committee Chairman.

Also this morning, Joke Waller-Hunter, Director of the Division on Sustainable Development, introduced a report of the Secretary-General on energy activities in the United Nations system. Representatives of the World Meteorological Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also spoke.

Experts responded favourably to the proposed global conference. One expert said that in an era of declining research and development budgets for energy, it would be a good way to see whether the international community was "serious about energy". The international community should endeavour to renew global awareness of energy issues. He proposed the development of a global "energy charter" modeled on the energy charter developed by the European Union.

Another expert said that two documents should be contemplated at the proposed conference -- a political text and a legally binding treaty. The treaty might deal with the topics of trade in energy, the integration of regional energy grids, the transit of energy products and services, dispute settlement and investment in energy resources.

The Committee should analyse the results of the Nairobi Conference to discern what was working and what was not. The proposed energy conference could build on the achievements of the upcoming solar summit scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe in September, an expert said.

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A world conference on energy would be an excellent follow-up to the process begun at the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development, an expert said. However, he did not favour a meeting in the year 2001, as it had already been targeted for a meeting of the World Energy Council.

An expert suggested that the Committee look into the need for creating a new institution which would be charged with follow-up to a global energy conference. The IAEA might be re-shaped into a world energy agency.

Ms. Waller-Hunter said the idea of an energy conference had been raised many times; the issue would have to be decided in an intergovernmental context. She cautioned that the financial problems of the Organization and the recent series of global summits had caused "conference fatigue".

Report of Secretary-General

Introducing the report of the Secretary-General on energy activities in the United Nations system (E/C.13/1996/7), Ms. Waller-Hunter, Director of the Division on Sustainable Development, said a wide variety of activities were under way. Some of the programmes, particularly those focusing on energy development and use, had been under way for some time. Newer programmes had targeted energy efficiency and planning. Relatively little attention had been paid to the issues of energy technology, transportation, and the role of women.

There was no common, system-wide approach to energy issues at the United Nations, she said. Agencies should endeavour to keep each other better informed. A recent inter-agency meeting had emphasized the need for cooperation and information exchange. Suggestions had included the establishment of an electronic mail network and more regular consultation.

She said the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development had a home page on the Internet which contained documents related to the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development. The Department maintained a variety of information databases as well.

The Secretary-General's report states that energy issues included energy development and use, energy efficiency, management, analysis and projection, cooperation and coordination, and information flows. Renewable sources of energy continue to receive attention with activities promoting the development and use of such sources at the national and regional levels. Some United Nations bodies have programmes in energy-related environment impact assessment, including training workshops in energy environment planning.

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The report sates that institution and capacity-building, comprising education and training, generation of awareness, and strengthening of national, subregional and regional institutions, are among the activities that have been carried out for a long time. Another area of activity is mobilization of financial resources for energy projects and the main actors in that area are the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The UNDP also helps create a policy environment for attracting public and private capital and funds for pre-feasibility studies and in their joint financing.

Of critical importance, according to the report, was the coordinated development and proper management of databases on various aspects of energy, and the establishment and increased use of energy information networks. It says the Committee might wish to suggest specific ways and means to improve coordination. More activities should also be undertaken in the development and application of sound energy technologies, including those concerned with the promotion of standardization of energy equipment. The report stresses the urgent need for expansion of energy supplies in rural areas, including rural electrification, to stimulate economic growth. More effort is required in that area, as well as in the diversification of the energy supply system to ensure an optimum energy mix.

Noting that activities of the United Nations system are "glaringly thin" on women's involvement, the report says more attention should be paid to that area to ensure an increase in their capacity to participate in decision-making through, for example, training in the field of energy. It also urges more attention for sustainable energy developments.

During a discussion of the report, an expert said energy development was critical to economic and political stability. There was a need for stronger, more action-oriented coordination of energy activities in the United Nations system. The Economic Commission for Europe project on energy efficiency for the year 2000 could serve as a model in that regard.

The Committee had always perceived a lack of coordination among energy- related activities of the United Nations agencies, another expert said. It was not clear which body should play such a coordinating role. Staff reductions at the Organization would complicate such coordination, he said.

Ms. Waller-Hunter said within the United Nations system, the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), together with its subcommittees, was responsible for ensuring follow-up to the various global conferences. The tendency at present was to limit the number of mechanisms in the United Nations system.

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Lars E. Olsson, of the WMO World Climate Programme, said his agency was cooperating with several bodies within and outside the United Nations system on energy-related issues. The Committee should recommend the establishment of a subcommittee of the ACC devoted to energy matters. Meanwhile, it could concentrate on objectives and agenda items for the proposed global conference.

Leonard Bennet, of IAEA, said the Agency's work was not limited to atomic energy alone. Its programme on comparative assessment of energy sources was studying all energy options, including economic viability and health concerns. The programme also aimed at capacity-building and at helping countries to choose energy sources. The Committee could help the Agency by ensuring the accuracy of its databases on energy sources and renewable energy systems.

Speaking this morning were experts from the Netherlands, Romania, France, Germany, Russian Federation and China.

When it meets again at 3 p.m. today, the Committee will continue discussing the Secretary-General's report.

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